Burlington Northern Dam dam
Burlington Northern Dam
The Burlington Northern Dam, located in Des Moines, Iowa, is a significant Earth dam with a height of 25 feet and a length of 300 feet. Completed in 1930, the dam serves various purposes and holds a storage capacity of 124 acre-feet. Situated on TR-Honey Creek near the Mississippi River, the dam is state-regulated and maintained by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
With a hazard potential rated as "Significant" and a risk assessment of "Moderate (3)", the Burlington Northern Dam poses a moderate risk to the surrounding area. Although the condition assessment is currently "Not Rated", the dam is inspected, permitted, and enforced by state regulatory agencies to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam's emergency action plan status, inundation maps, and risk management measures are not disclosed in the available data.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts may find the Burlington Northern Dam an interesting case study for its historical significance, design features, and regulatory oversight. As a private-owned structure, the dam plays a crucial role in water management and flood control in the region, highlighting the importance of sustainable infrastructure development and risk mitigation strategies in the face of changing climate patterns and increasing water resource challenges.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Burlington Northern Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Skunk River At Augusta | 2,860 cfs | → |
| Henderson Creek Near Oquawka | 288 cfs | → |
| Pope Creek Near Keithsburg | 123 cfs | → |
| Iowa River At Wapello | 9,830 cfs | → |
| Big Creek Near Mt. Pleasant | 43 cfs | → |
| Edwards River Near New Boston | 266 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Burlington Northern Dam.
Boat launches
- High Street Burlington
- Des Moines County
- Schuyler Street Oquawka
- Diversion Channel Des Moines County
- Putney's Landing Access Road Henderson County
- 20th Street 1000, Louisa County
Track Burlington Northern Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Burlington Northern Dam
Where does the data for Burlington Northern Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Burlington Northern Dam.