Hesperia Dam dam
Hesperia Dam
Hesperia Dam, located in Oceana, Michigan, along the White River, is a significant earth dam completed in 1977 primarily for recreational purposes. With a height of 11 feet and a length of 328 feet, this dam provides a storage capacity of 450 acre-feet, offering a surface area of 50 acres for various water activities. The dam's controlled spillway width of 78 feet ensures the safe discharge of up to 3524 cubic feet per second during high flow events.
Managed by the local government, Hesperia Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (DEGLE). The dam's condition has been assessed as fair, with a significant hazard potential, requiring inspections every four years to ensure public safety. Despite its age, Hesperia Dam remains a vital recreational asset in the community, attracting visitors for boating, fishing, and other water-related activities. The risk assessment for the dam indicates a very high risk level, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and management measures.
In the event of an emergency, the dam's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) preparedness status is unclear, with the last revision dating back to 1998. As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the resilience and maintenance of dams like Hesperia Dam become increasingly crucial. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is essential to advocate for the proper management and upkeep of these structures to ensure both public safety and environmental sustainability in the face of changing 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 Hesperia Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White River Near Whitehall | 516 cfs | → |
| Muskegon River Near Croton | 2,260 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek Near Muskegon | 17 cfs | → |
| Little Muskegon River Near Oak Grove | 244 cfs | → |
| Pere Marquette River At Scottville | 805 cfs | → |
| Rogue River Near Rockford | 239 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hesperia Dam.
Boat launches
- Peskin Drive Newfield Township
- Ramshorn Drive Fremont
- Sheridan Twp Boat Ramp
- Nfs 6902 Merrill Township
- Big Blue Lake, 330 Acres, Muskegon County
- Nfs 5140-A Merrill Township
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- St. Hubert Angler Parking
- Blanch Lake
- Duck Lake
- Idlewild Lake
- Log Mark Rest Stop Canoe And Fishing Landing
- Baptist Lake
Paddle runs
- 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
- North Branch From Its Confluence With South Branch In Sec 22, T13n, R16 W To Mclaren Lake In Sec 11, T14n, R15w
- Croton Dam In T12n, R11w To City Of Newaygo In T12n, R12w
- Mainstem To Forest Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 2, T13n, R15w (1.5 Miles West Of Herperia)
- Morley Dam In T13n, R10w To Croton Dam Pond In T12n, R11w
- Kings Road Bridge (2 Miles West Of Town Of Luther In T19n, R12w To Slackwater Of The State Fish Weir In T21n, R16w
Track Hesperia 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 Hesperia Dam
Where does the data for Hesperia 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 Hesperia Dam.