Frd No 20 dam
Frd No 20
Frd No 20, also known as the Big Caney Watershed Dam 20, is located in Chautauqua County, Kansas, specifically in the city of Hewins. This earth dam, designed by USDA NRCS, was completed in 1969 for the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Spring Branch Caney River. With a height of 43 feet and a length of 1275 feet, Frd No 20 has a maximum storage capacity of 1350 acre-feet and a normal storage of 177 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 30.9 acres and draining a 4.7 square mile area.
Managed by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Frd No 20 is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled with a width of 60 feet, and it has a low hazard potential with a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. While the condition assessment is currently not rated, the dam meets state permitting and inspection requirements, providing essential flood risk reduction benefits to the local community and the surrounding area.
Overall, Frd No 20 plays a crucial role in managing flood risks along the Spring Branch Caney River, safeguarding the community of Hewins and the surrounding region from potential inundation. With its strategic location and design, this earth dam stands as a testament to effective water resource management and climate resilience efforts, highlighting the importance of sustainable infrastructure for protecting our environment and communities from the impacts of extreme weather events.
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 Frd No 20 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Caney R Nr Elgin | 29 cfs | → |
| Elk R At Elk Falls | 16 cfs | → |
| Walnut R At Winfield | 132 cfs | → |
| Arkansas R At Arkansas City | 427 cfs | → |
| Caney River Above Coon Creek At Bartlesville | 29 cfs | → |
| Hominy Creek Near Hominy | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Frd No 20.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Track Frd No 20 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 Frd No 20
Where does the data for Frd No 20 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.