Clintonville Dam dam
Clintonville Dam
The Clintonville Dam, also known as the Oakland-Woodhull Lake Dams, is a private dam located in Clintonville, Michigan. Completed in 1915, this earth dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, providing a surface area of 370 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 3,900 acre-feet. The dam, with a height of 14 feet and a length of 200 feet, controls the flow of the Clinton River and has a significant hazard potential.
Managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (DEGLE), the Clintonville Dam undergoes regular inspections and enforcement measures to ensure its structural integrity and public safety. The dam's spillway is of a controlled type, with a width of 16 feet, and it has a very high risk assessment ranking. Despite this, the condition assessment in 2019 deemed the dam to be in satisfactory condition, with the emergency action plan (EAP) meeting guidelines.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Clintonville Dam offers a glimpse into the intersection of human-built infrastructure and natural ecosystems. With its location in a picturesque setting and its historical significance, the dam serves as a focal point for recreational activities while also demanding careful monitoring and risk management due to its potential impact on the surrounding environment and communities. The Clintonville Dam stands as a testament to the delicate balance between harnessing water resources for human use and safeguarding the natural world.
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 Clintonville Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Clinton River At Auburn Hills | 125 cfs | → |
| Paint Creek At Rochester | 18 cfs | → |
| River Rouge At Birmingham | 13 cfs | → |
| Stony Creek Near Washington | 23 cfs | → |
| Stony Creek Near Romeo | 13 cfs | → |
| Plum Brook At Utica | 9 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Clintonville Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Oakland, 735 Acres, Oakland County
- Maceday Lake, 419 Acres, Oakland County
- Elizabeth Lake Road Waterford Township
- Canal Drive 41, Pontiac
- Ladue Street Waterford Township
- Cedar Key Drive 2375, Oakland County
Campgrounds
- Pontiac Lake Recreation Area Modern Campground
- South Hill Campsite
- Apache Campsite
- East Prairie Campsite
- Picnic Area Campsite
- Cherokee Campsite
Track Clintonville 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 Clintonville Dam
Where does the data for Clintonville 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 Clintonville Dam.