Lakewood Hills Dam dam
Lakewood Hills Dam
Lakewood Hills Dam, located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1967 for recreational purposes along the TR-Cedar River. With a height of 18 feet and a length of 520 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 74 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 5 acres. The dam is regulated and inspected by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its structural integrity and safety for the surrounding community.
The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled with a width of 5 feet, and it has a significant hazard potential with a satisfactory condition assessment as of October 2015. While the risk assessment for the dam is moderate, there are no emergency action plans (EAP) in place, raising concerns about emergency preparedness in case of a potential breach or failure. With its location in Black Hawk County and its proximity to the Cedar River, the Lakewood Hills Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Lakewood Hills Dam serves as a focal point for understanding the intersection of infrastructure, public safety, and environmental stewardship. Its presence on the Cedar River provides opportunities for recreation while also highlighting the importance of proper maintenance and risk management practices for dams in flood-prone areas. As stakeholders continue to address the challenges of aging infrastructure and changing weather patterns, the Lakewood Hills Dam stands as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to balance human needs with the preservation of natural resources in a dynamic and evolving landscape.
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 Lakewood Hills Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar River At Cedar Falls | 4,070 cfs | → |
| West Fork Cedar River At Finchford | 780 cfs | → |
| Cedar River At Janesville | 1,150 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek At New Hartford | 320 cfs | → |
| Cedar River At Waterloo | 4,330 cfs | → |
| Black Hawk Creek At Hudson | 304 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lakewood Hills Dam.
Boat launches
- Big Lake Loop Cedar Falls
- Wyth Road 3224, Waterloo
- Cedar Valley Lakes Trail Waterloo
- Leo P Rooff Expressway Waterloo
- Finchford Road Black Hawk County
- Mitchell Avenue Waterloo
Campgrounds
- Black Hawk County Park
- Big Woods Lake
- George Wyth State Park
- Thunder Woman Park
- Roadman Roadside Park
- Deerwood City Park
Fishing spots
Track Lakewood Hills 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 Lakewood Hills Dam
Where does the data for Lakewood Hills 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 Lakewood Hills Dam.