Frickel South Dam dam
Frickel South Dam
Frickel South Dam, located in Holt, Nebraska, is a privately owned structure that serves primarily for irrigation purposes. This earthen dam, completed in 1960, stands at a height of 9 feet and has a length of 860 feet, providing storage for up to 99 acre-feet of water. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2018 was deemed poor, highlighting the need for maintenance and potential improvements to ensure its long-term stability and effectiveness.
Managed by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Frickel South Dam is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement measures to ensure compliance with safety standards. The dam is situated on TR-BRUSH CREEK and falls under the jurisdiction of the Omaha District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. With a drainage area of 4 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 416 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management for the surrounding agricultural area.
While Frickel South Dam currently poses a low risk, its poor condition assessment raises concerns about its long-term reliability. It is essential for the owners and regulators to address any maintenance issues promptly to prevent potential safety hazards and ensure the continued availability of water for irrigation purposes. Climate enthusiasts and water resource professionals alike will find Frickel South Dam an intriguing case study in the importance of infrastructure maintenance and risk management in the face of changing environmental 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 Frickel South Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Niobrara River At Mariaville | 861 cfs | → |
| Niobrara River Nr. Verdel | 2,410 cfs | → |
| Ponca Creek At Verdel | 29 cfs | → |
| Long Pine Creek Near Riverview | 181 cfs | → |
| Elkhorn River At Ewing | 64 cfs | → |
| Verdigre C Nr Verdigre | 206 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Frickel South Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Track Frickel South 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 Frickel South Dam
Where does the data for Frickel South 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 Frickel South Dam.