Marydale Dam dam
Marydale Dam
Marydale Dam, also known as Marydale Lake, is a privately-owned recreational earth dam located in the Marydale-area of Boone, Kentucky. Built in 1956, this dam stands at a height of 32 feet and has a length of 300 feet, providing a storage capacity of 240 acre-feet. The primary purpose of Marydale Dam is for recreational activities, with a surface area of 9.2 acres and a drainage area of 0.98 square miles.
Despite its age, Marydale Dam has been flagged with a poor condition assessment and a significant hazard potential, prompting a moderate risk assessment rating. The dam is regulated and inspected by the Kentucky Division of Water, with the last inspection conducted in September 2017. While the dam has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 15 feet, there are no outlet gates or associated structures.
Marydale Dam presents an intriguing opportunity for water resource and climate enthusiasts to explore the intersection of recreational infrastructure and environmental stewardship. As an aging dam with a significant hazard potential, there is a pressing need for ongoing risk management measures and regular inspections to ensure the safety and integrity of this important water resource in Kentucky.
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 Marydale Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Elijahs Creek @ Elijahs Creek Rd Nr Hebron | 20 cfs | → |
| Banklick Creek @ Highway 1829 Nr Erlanger | 84 cfs | → |
| Gunpowder Cr At Camp Ernst Rd Nr Union | 353 cfs | → |
| Woolper Creek At Woolper Road Near Burlington | 74 cfs | → |
| Cruises Creek At Hwy 17 Nr Piner | 9 cfs | → |
| Mud Lick Cr At Hwy 42 Nr Beaverlick | 318 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Marydale Dam.
Boat launches
- Riverside Boat Launch Ramp
- Fredericks Landing Wilder
- Hamilton County Parks - Shawnee Lookout
- Cooper Avenue 56, Cleves
- Tanner’S Creek Drive Lawrenceburg
- Lawrenceburg Road 4836, Whitewater Township
Campgrounds
- Big Bone Lick State Park
- Big Bone Lick State Historic Site
- Bullock Pen Lake Ramp - Dfwr
- Miami Whitewater Forest
- Camp Lower Craig
- Boltz Lake Ramp - Dfwr
Fishing spots
Track Marydale 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 Marydale Dam
Where does the data for Marydale 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 Marydale Dam.