Woodland Lake Dam dam
Woodland Lake Dam
Woodland Lake Dam, located in Brighton, Michigan, serves as a vital recreational hub with its primary purpose being for leisure activities. Built in 1928, this privately-owned Earth dam stands at 19 feet in height and spans 1470 feet in length along the South Ore Creek. With a maximum storage capacity of 3500 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 2896 acre-feet, Woodland Lake Dam covers a surface area of 290 acres and has a drainage area of 18.5 square miles.
Despite its age, Woodland Lake Dam has been regularly inspected, most recently in October 2019, with a hazard potential rated as high and a fair condition assessment. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 20 feet, capable of handling a maximum discharge of 545 cubic feet per second. Positioned in Livingston County, Michigan, Woodland Lake Dam is under state regulation and jurisdiction, ensuring that necessary permitting, inspection, and enforcement measures are in place to maintain its structural integrity and safeguard nearby communities from potential risks associated with dam failure. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Woodland Lake Dam serves as a prime example of balancing recreation with the responsible management of water resources in a changing climate landscape.
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 Woodland Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Huron River Near Hamburg | 277 cfs | → |
| Huron River Near New Hudson | 105 cfs | → |
| Huron River At Milford | 73 cfs | → |
| Mill Creek Near Dexter | 67 cfs | → |
| Huron River At Ann Arbor | 408 cfs | → |
| Malletts Creek At Ann Arbor | 26 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Woodland Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Hilton Road 8809, Brighton Township
- Conrad Road Genoa Township
- Appleton Loop Hamburg Township
- Bishop Lake Hiking Trail Hamburg Township
- Bishop Lake Road Hamburg Township
- East Schafer Road Hamburg Township
Campgrounds
- Murray Lake - Brighton Rec Area
- Appleton Lake - Brighton Rec Area
- Bishop Lake - Brighton Rec Area
- Group Camp 10
- Group Camp 9
- Group Camp 7
Fishing spots
Track Woodland Lake 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 Woodland Lake Dam
Where does the data for Woodland Lake 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 High 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 Woodland Lake Dam.