Archie Castle's Dam dam
Archie Castle's Dam
Archie Castle's Dam, located in Cadillac, Michigan, was completed in 1963 and serves as a popular recreational spot along a tributary to Brandy Creek. Designed by USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 8 feet and stretches 836 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 54 acre-feet. While the dam is primarily used for recreation, it also plays a vital role in managing water resources in the area, with a low hazard potential but high risk assessment rating.
Despite being privately owned, Archie Castle's Dam is not regulated by the state and has not undergone recent inspections, although its condition remains unrated. The emergency action plan for the dam is not prepared, but given its high risk assessment, measures for risk management are crucial. With no spillway and a limited discharge capacity, the dam presents unique challenges for ensuring public safety and efficient water resource management. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, this dam presents an intriguing case study in balancing recreational use with effective risk mitigation strategies.
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 Archie Castle's Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pine River At High School Bridge Nr Hoxeyville | 307 cfs | → |
| Manistee River Near Sherman | 1,590 cfs | → |
| Manistee River Near Mesick | 1,510 cfs | → |
| East Branch Pine River Near Tustin | 47 cfs | → |
| Manistee River Near Wellston | 2,560 cfs | → |
| Boardman R Above Brown Bridge Road Nr Mayfield | 226 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Archie Castle's Dam.
Boat launches
- North 27 Road Colfax Township
- Cadillac Highway Cadillac
- North Boulevard Cadillac
- Newkirk Township
- East 24 3/4 Road Haring Township
- Harvey Bridge River Access Hanover Township
Campgrounds
- Colfax Township Campground
- Hemlock Campground And Boat Launch
- Hemlock Campground
- Mitchell State Park
- Ravine
- Long Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Kings Road Bridge (2 Miles West Of Town Of Luther In T19n, R12w To Slackwater Of The State Fish Weir In T21n, R16w
- Southern Boundary Of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore To Mouth At Lake Michigan
- Southeastern Boundary Of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore To Northwetern Boundary Of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
- 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
Track Archie Castle's 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 Archie Castle's Dam
Where does the data for Archie Castle's 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 Archie Castle's Dam.