Taplin Dam dam
Taplin Dam
Taplin Dam, located on the Wapsipinicon River in Clinton, Iowa, is a privately owned structure designed by the USDA NRCS. Completed in 1999, this earth dam serves multiple purposes, including fire protection and creating a small fish pond. With a height of 28 feet and a length of 315 feet, Taplin Dam has a storage capacity of 46 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 4.2 acres.
Managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Taplin Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is considered to have a moderate risk level, with no official condition assessment rating. Although no emergency action plan is currently in place, the dam meets state permitting and inspection requirements, ensuring its safety and functionality for the surrounding area.
Overall, Taplin Dam represents a vital water resource structure in Iowa, providing essential services for fire protection and wildlife habitat. With its strategic location on the Wapsipinicon River, the dam plays a key role in managing water resources and supporting environmental conservation efforts in the region.
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 Taplin Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At Clinton | 69,200 cfs | → |
| Wapsipinicon River Near De Witt | 1,710 cfs | → |
| Maquoketa River Near Maquoketa | 1,340 cfs | → |
| Apple River Near Hanover | 121 cfs | → |
| Rock River Near Joslin | 10,700 cfs | → |
| North Fork Maquoketa River Near Fulton | 420 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Taplin Dam.
Boat launches
- 30th Avenue North Clinton
- Discovery Trail Clinton
- Lock Road Whiteside County
- South 4th Street Clinton
- 5th Avenue 198, Camanche
- Park Drive Camanche
Campgrounds
- Army Corps Of Engineers' Causeway
- South Sabula Lakes County Park
- Rock Creek County Campground
- Green Island Lake-Dnr
- Sac-Fox Campground
- Wilderness Campground
More reservoirs
Track Taplin 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 Taplin Dam
Where does the data for Taplin 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 Taplin Dam.