Princeton Railroad Lake Dam dam
Princeton Railroad Lake Dam
Princeton Railroad Lake Dam, located in Caldwell County, Kentucky, was completed in 1917 by the Illinois Central Railroad and serves as a recreational spot for water resource and climate enthusiasts. This private-owned Earth dam stands at a height of 23 feet and has a storage capacity of 650 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 234 acre-feet. The dam spans 600 feet in length and creates a surface area of 39.5 acres on Goose Creek.
Although the dam has a low hazard potential and is currently not rated in terms of condition assessment, it is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement by the Kentucky Division of Water. Despite its moderate risk assessment, with a score of 3, the dam has not been modified in recent years and lacks certain emergency preparedness measures such as an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and inundation maps. With its historical significance and recreational value, Princeton Railroad Lake Dam remains a focal point for water management and safety in the Princeton-area community.
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 Princeton Railroad Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tradewater River At Olney | 18 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Cadiz | 485 cfs | → |
| Pond River Near Apex | 15 cfs | → |
| Clarks River At Almo | 24 cfs | → |
| Clarks River At Murray | 15 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Old Shawneetown | 259,000 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Princeton Railroad Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Forest Service Road 118 Lyon County
- Rockcastle Road Trigg County
- Forest Service Road 138-B Lyon County
- Forest Service Road 136-C Trigg County
- Parkview Shores Road 2603, Trigg County
- Forest Service Road 134 Lyon County
Campgrounds
- Cravens Bay Campground & Boat Ramp At Land Between The Lakes
- Demumbers Bay Backcountry Area & Boat Ramp At Land Between The Lakes
- Birmangham Ferry Backcountry Area & Boat Ramp At Land Between The Lakes
- Nickell Branch Basic Campground - Land Between The Lakes
- Fenton Campground & Boat Ramp At Land Between The Lakes
- Riverview Park At Dam 50 Primitive Campsite
Paddle runs
- Russell Cemetery, Approx 1/4 Mile North Of Karbers Ridge Road To Proclamation Boundary, 1 Mile Nw Of Elizabethtown,Il
- Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda,Il
- Wallace Cemetery Approx 2.5 Miles Nw Of Herod, Il To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda Jobs Corp Center
- Source, About 2 Miles East Of Delwood, Il (Sec 10, T11s, R6e) To Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop (Se1/4,Sec.16,T12s, R6e)
- 1 Minle Southwest Of Delwood, Il (Sec. 18, T11s, R13e) To Reesville, 1/4 Mile South Of The Confluence With Sugar Creek
Track Princeton Railroad Lake 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 Princeton Railroad Lake Dam
Where does the data for Princeton Railroad Lake 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 Princeton Railroad Lake Dam.