Mountain Dam dam
Mountain Dam
Mountain Dam, located in Warren County, Iowa, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1974 by the USDA NRCS for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. With a height of 33 feet and a length of 350 feet, this dam has a storage capacity of 34 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 3.3 acres. It is regulated by the Iowa DNR and is situated on TR-Broadhorn Creek, within the jurisdiction of the state.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment, Mountain Dam has not been rated for its condition assessment. The dam does not have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place, and there is no information available on its last inspection date or inspection frequency. However, it is reassuring to note that the dam meets state regulatory standards and undergoes state permitting, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Mountain Dam presents an interesting case study of a privately owned dam that serves multiple purposes while being subject to state oversight and regulation.
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 Mountain Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South River Near Ackworth | 50 cfs | → |
| Middle River Near Indianola | 196 cfs | → |
| North River Near Norwalk | 201 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River Near West Des Moines | 1,300 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River At 63rd Street At Des Moines | 1,530 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River At Van Meter | 1,460 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mountain Dam.
Boat launches
- Pershing Street Warren County
- 118th Avenue Warren County
- Us 34 Clarke County
- 120th Street Madison County
- County Park Des Moines
- Walnut Woods Drive West Des Moines
Campgrounds
- Lake Ahquabi State Park Campground
- Bottom Oak Camp
- Longbeard Camp
- White Oak Camp
- Black Oak Camp
- Buck Stop Camp
More reservoirs
Track Mountain 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 Mountain Dam
Where does the data for Mountain 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 Low 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 Mountain Dam.