Buckhorn Creek Dam dam
Buckhorn Creek Dam
Buckhorn Creek Dam, located in Paris, Michigan, was completed in 1900 and serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a serene setting for water resource and climate enthusiasts to enjoy. This earth dam stands at 28 feet high with a length of 90 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 200 acre-feet. The dam is situated on Buckhorn Creek, a picturesque waterway in Mecosta County, Michigan.
Despite its age, Buckhorn Creek Dam has been designated as having a low hazard potential and a very high risk assessment. While it is not currently regulated or inspected by the state, the dam's condition remains unrated. With a controlled spillway width of 15 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 1400 cubic feet per second, the dam is equipped to handle potential flood events and ensure the safety of downstream communities. While the dam's Emergency Action Plan status and risk management measures are currently unknown, its recreational value and scenic surroundings make it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts in the region.
Overall, Buckhorn Creek Dam presents an intriguing blend of historical significance, recreational appeal, and environmental risk. As water resource and climate enthusiasts explore the dam and its surrounding area, they can appreciate both its functional role in providing recreational opportunities and the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued safety and resilience in the face of changing environmental 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 Buckhorn Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Muskegon River At Evart | 1,520 cfs | → |
| East Branch Pine River Near Tustin | 53 cfs | → |
| Little Muskegon River Near Oak Grove | 244 cfs | → |
| Muskegon River Near Croton | 2,560 cfs | → |
| Pine River At High School Bridge Nr Hoxeyville | 314 cfs | → |
| Clam River At Vogel Center | 259 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Buckhorn Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Public Road Colfax Township
- Grant Township
- Cypress Avenue 7680, Norwich Township
- 205th Avenue Mecosta Township
Campgrounds
- Blodgett Landing
- Rambadt City Park
- Haymarsh State Game Area
- Cran-Hill Ranch
- Hungerford Lake
- Hillside Campground
Fishing spots
- Fishing Peir
- Idlewild Lake
- Lake To The Hills
- Log Mark Rest Stop Canoe And Fishing Landing
- Lake Cadillac
- Baptist Lake
Paddle runs
- Morley Dam In T13n, R10w To Croton Dam Pond In T12n, R11w
- South Branch From Forest Boundary East Of Hesperia At West Section Line Of Sec 22, T14n, R14w To Echo Drive In Sec 6, T13n, R12w
- Croton Dam In T12n, R11w To City Of Newaygo In T12n, R12w
- North Branch From Its Confluence With South Branch In Sec 22, T13n, R16 W To Mclaren Lake In Sec 11, T14n, R15w
- Kings Road Bridge (2 Miles West Of Town Of Luther In T19n, R12w To Slackwater Of The State Fish Weir In T21n, R16w
- Mainstem To Forest Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 2, T13n, R15w (1.5 Miles West Of Herperia)
Track Buckhorn 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 Buckhorn Creek Dam
Where does the data for Buckhorn 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 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 Buckhorn Creek Dam.