Blackwood Creek 11-A dam
Blackwood Creek 11-A
Blackwood Creek 11-A is a vital flood risk reduction structure located in Hayes, Nebraska, specifically in the city of MCCOOK. Constructed in 1992 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 59 feet and plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding area from potential flooding events. With a storage capacity of 6050 acre-feet and a drainage area of 61.3 square miles, this dam helps manage water flow and mitigate the risk of high discharge during heavy rainfall.
Managed by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Blackwood Creek 11-A is state-regulated and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, and it is designed to withstand hydraulic pressures with a hydraulic height of 58 feet and a structural height of 74 feet. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently not rated, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued effectiveness in protecting the local community and environment from potential water-related disasters.
With its location in the Blackwood Creek watershed and its association with the Omaha District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Blackwood Creek 11-A serves as a critical infrastructure for water resource management in the region. As climate change continues to impact weather patterns and increase the frequency of extreme weather events, structures like Blackwood Creek 11-A play a vital role in safeguarding communities, agriculture, and ecosystems from the potentially devastating effects of floods, highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management and infrastructure planning in the face of a changing climate.
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 Blackwood Creek 11-A -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Frenchman Creek At Palisade | 13 cfs | → |
| Frenchman Creek At Culbertson | 24 cfs | → |
| Republican River At Stratton | 23 cfs | → |
| Republican River At Mccook Nebr | 28 cfs | → |
| Driftwood Creek Near Mc Cook | 0 cfs | → |
| Red Willow Creek Near Red Willow | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blackwood Creek 11-A.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Track Blackwood Creek 11-A 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 Blackwood Creek 11-A
Where does the data for Blackwood Creek 11-A 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 Blackwood Creek 11-A.