Scotts Mill Dam dam
Scotts Mill Dam
Scotts Mill Dam, located in Adams Park, Michigan, is a historic earth dam completed in 1859 along the Cook Drain river. With a height of 19.2 feet and a length of 314 feet, the dam primarily serves recreational purposes, providing a surface area of 8 acres and a drainage area of 6.8 square miles. The dam has a significant hazard potential and was last assessed to be in fair condition in 2017.
Managed by local government authorities, the dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the Michigan DEGLE. Despite its age, the dam continues to offer water recreation opportunities with a maximum storage capacity of 75 acre-feet and a normal storage of 55 acre-feet. The dam's spillway width of 12 feet and a maximum discharge of 480 cubic feet per second ensure proper water flow control.
With Fred Upton as the local congressional representative, the dam's risk assessment is rated as moderate, indicating the need for ongoing monitoring and risk management measures. While Scotts Mill Dam has stood the test of time for over a century, its maintenance and upkeep remain critical to ensure public safety and environmental protection in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Scotts Mill Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo River At Comstock | 947 cfs | → |
| Portage Creek At Kalamazoo | 50 cfs | → |
| West Fork Portage Creek At Kalamazoo | 13 cfs | → |
| Augusta Creek Near Augusta | 36 cfs | → |
| West Fork Portage Creek Near Oshtemo | 9 cfs | → |
| Kalamazoo River Near Battle Creek | 648 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Scotts Mill Dam.
Boat launches
- East M N Avenue Charleston Township
- Charter Township Of Comstock
- East Michigan Avenue 188, Galesburg
- Plaza Avenue Charter Township Of Comstock
- Lillian Court 216, Charter Township Of Comstock
- Charleston Township
Track Scotts 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 Scotts Mill Dam
Where does the data for Scotts 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 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 Scotts Mill Dam.