Upper Medicine Creek 390-B dam
Upper Medicine Creek 390-B
Upper Medicine Creek 390-B is a significant earth dam located in Curtis, Nebraska, designed by the USDA NRCS to mitigate flood risks along the S Brushy Creek. Completed in 1975, this dam stands at a height of 71 feet and has a storage capacity of 6494 acre-feet, serving the primary purpose of flood risk reduction in the region. The dam covers a drainage area of 34.3 square miles, with a maximum discharge capacity of 23279 cubic feet per second, offering essential protection to the surrounding area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Upper Medicine Creek 390-B is inspected every three years to ensure its structural integrity. With a satisfactory condition assessment as of October 2018, this dam has a significant hazard potential due to its size and location. Additionally, the dam has not been modified in recent years and does not fall under the jurisdiction of the US Army Corps of Engineers, highlighting its importance in the local flood control infrastructure.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts will appreciate the crucial role that Upper Medicine Creek 390-B plays in safeguarding the community from potential flood events. With its strategic location, impressive height, and substantial storage capacity, this earth dam serves as a vital asset in the flood risk reduction efforts in Frontier County, Nebraska. As a state-regulated structure with a satisfactory condition assessment, Upper Medicine Creek 390-B exemplifies successful collaboration between local government entities and the USDA NRCS in ensuring water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
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 Upper Medicine Creek 390-B -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Red Willow Creek Near Red Willow | 3 cfs | → |
| Frenchman Creek At Culbertson | 23 cfs | → |
| Republican River At Mccook Nebr | 28 cfs | → |
| Frenchman Creek At Palisade | 13 cfs | → |
| Driftwood Creek Near Mc Cook | 0 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At North Platte | 1,290 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Medicine Creek 390-B.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Buffalo Roam Campground
- Willow View Campground
- Kiwanis Point Campground
- Red Willow Reservoir State Rec Area
- Potter's Pasture Old Campground
- Potter's Pasture New Campground
Track Upper Medicine Creek 390-B 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 Upper Medicine Creek 390-B
Where does the data for Upper Medicine Creek 390-B 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 Upper Medicine Creek 390-B.