South Fork 3-1 dam
South Fork 3-1
South Fork 3-1 is a local government-owned dam located in Pawnee, Nebraska, designed by the USDA NRCS and regulated by the NE DNR. Completed in 1981, this earth dam stands at 30 feet high with a hydraulic height of 28 feet and a structural height of 31 feet, providing flood risk reduction for the TR-NEGRO BRANCH CREEK. With a storage capacity of 56 acre-feet and a drainage area of 0.2 square miles, South Fork 3-1 plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, South Fork 3-1 undergoes regular inspections every 5 years, with the last assessment conducted in March 2017. The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and inundation maps are currently unspecified, indicating a potential area for improvement in emergency preparedness. With a maximum discharge capacity of 377 cubic feet per second, South Fork 3-1 remains an essential infrastructure for flood control and water management in the area, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued effectiveness in mitigating risks associated with climate variability and extreme weather events.
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 South Fork 3-1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey C Nr Seneca | 147 cfs | → |
| North Fork Big Nemaha River At Humboldt | 850 cfs | → |
| Big Nemaha River At Falls City | 1,470 cfs | → |
| Big Blue R At Barneston Nebr | 2,280 cfs | → |
| Little Nemaha River At Auburn | 743 cfs | → |
| Black Vermillion R Nr Frankfort | 174 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near South Fork 3-1.
Track South Fork 3-1 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 South Fork 3-1
Where does the data for South Fork 3-1 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 South Fork 3-1.