Beech Creek Dam dam
Beech Creek Dam
Beech Creek Dam, also known as Bert Combs Lake, is a state-owned structure located in Clay, Kentucky. Completed in 1963 by the Soil Conservation Service, this earth dam stands at a height of 67 feet and spans 400 feet in length. The primary purpose of Beech Creek Dam is water supply, with a normal storage capacity of 935.5 acre-feet and a maximum storage capacity of 1600 acre-feet.
Situated on the Beech Creek river, the dam has a spillway width of 159 feet and is categorized as having a high hazard potential with a fair condition assessment. The dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the Kentucky Division of Water, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations. Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, Beech Creek Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management for the surrounding area, serving as a vital infrastructure for water supply needs in the region.
With Harold Rogers as the representative for the area, Beech Creek Dam remains a significant landmark in the Louisville District, providing essential water resources to the community of Tanksley. As a key component of the local water supply infrastructure, the dam's maintenance and monitoring are essential to ensure its continued functionality and safety for both water supply purposes and 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 Beech Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Goose Creek At Manchester | 25 cfs | → |
| South Fork Kentucky River At Booneville | 92 cfs | → |
| Cutshin Creek At Wooton | 8 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon Creek At Cressmont | 4 cfs | → |
| Lynn Camp Creek At Corbin | 4 cfs | → |
| Kentucky River At Lock 14 At Heidelberg | 419 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Beech Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Marina Lane 231, Perry County
- Ky 399 Heidelberg
- Whitley County
- Water Street Beattyville
- Jackson Road Beattyville
- Park Avenue Hazard
Campgrounds
- Clay County Campground
- Willie Begley Memorial Rv Park
- Buckhorn Dam Rec Area - Buckhorn Lake
- Gays Creek Campground
- Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park
- Trace Branch - Buckhorn Lake
Paddle runs
- Turkey Foot Campground To Confluence With South Fork Of Station Camp Creek
- Kentucky Road 80 Bridge To Downstream Part Of Rockcastle Narrows
- 4 Miles Downstream From The Kentucky Highway 90 Bridge To Confluence With Cane Creek
- Kentucky Road 679 To Confluence Of Cumberland River
- Kentucky Road 478 To Kentucky Road 679
- Headwaters To Alternative Route 58
Track Beech Creek 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 Beech Creek Dam
Where does the data for Beech Creek 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 High 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 Beech Creek Dam.