Bowen Mill Dam dam
Bowen Mill Dam
Bowen Mill Dam, located in Hooper, Michigan, on the Gun River, is a privately owned recreational dam that was completed in 1924. Standing at 16 feet in height and 100 feet in length, the dam serves multiple purposes including recreation, water supply, and other uses. With a storage capacity of 600 acre-feet and a surface area of 187 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area.
Managed by the Michigan DEGLE, Bowen Mill Dam is regularly inspected to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam has a low hazard potential and has been assessed as being in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in December 2016. Despite being a low-hazard dam, the risk assessment for Bowen Mill Dam is marked as very high, indicating the importance of continued monitoring and maintenance to mitigate any potential risks associated with the structure.
Overall, Bowen Mill Dam is a key component of the water management infrastructure in Barry County, Michigan. Its historical significance and multiple uses make it a valuable resource for the community, while its regulatory oversight and inspections ensure that it remains safe and functional for years to come. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Bowen Mill Dam represents a fascinating intersection of history, engineering, and environmental stewardship in the Great Lakes 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 Bowen Mill Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rabbit River Near Hopkins | 47 cfs | → |
| Thornapple River Near Hastings | 259 cfs | → |
| Augusta Creek Near Augusta | 39 cfs | → |
| Quaker Brook Near Nashville | 21 cfs | → |
| Grand River At Grand Rapids | 3,860 cfs | → |
| Kalamazoo River At Comstock | 1,010 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bowen Mill Dam.
Boat launches
- Patterson Road 2373, Martin Township
- Green Lake Boat Launch
- Prairieville Township Center Street Lake Access
- 84th Street Southeast 9620, Bowne Township
- Leach Lake Road Carlton Township
- Cascade Road Southeast 14216, Lowell Charter Township
Campgrounds
- Gun Lake - Yankee Springs State Rec Area
- Yankee Springs Deep Lake-Rustic
- Deep Lake - Yankee Springs State Rec Area
- Tyden City Park
- Barry Expo Center
- Winding Creek Campground
Fishing spots
Track Bowen Mill 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 Bowen Mill Dam
Where does the data for Bowen Mill 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 Bowen Mill Dam.