Smith Family Ranch West Dam dam
Smith Family Ranch West Dam
Smith Family Ranch West Dam, located in Holt, Nebraska, along the Niobrara River, was completed in 1980 with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. This privately owned earth dam stands at a height of 21.5 feet and has a storage capacity of 108.7 acre-feet, serving as a crucial structure in mitigating potential flooding events in the area. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment has been deemed poor, highlighting the need for maintenance and improvements to ensure its continued effectiveness.
Managed by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, the Smith Family Ranch West Dam is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement. Although it has not undergone recent modifications, its last inspection in April 2020 revealed a concerning condition assessment. With a drainage area of 2.02 square miles and a normal storage capacity of 73.1 acre-feet, this dam plays a significant role in protecting the surrounding area from potential flood damage, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its structural integrity and operational effectiveness.
As an essential component of flood risk reduction in the region, the Smith Family Ranch West Dam serves as a critical structure along the Niobrara River. With its stone core and soil foundation, this dam requires attention to address its poor condition assessment and ensure its continued functionality in safeguarding the community from potential flood events. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is imperative to advocate for the necessary maintenance and improvements to enhance the resilience of this vital infrastructure and protect the local ecosystem from the impacts of flooding.
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 Smith Family Ranch West Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Niobrara River Nr. Verdel | 2,410 cfs | → |
| Ponca Creek At Verdel | 29 cfs | → |
| Niobrara River At Mariaville | 861 cfs | → |
| Verdigre C Nr Verdigre | 206 cfs | → |
| Platte Creek Near Platte | 3 cfs | → |
| Bazile Creek Near Niobrara | 59 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Smith Family Ranch West Dam.
Boat launches
- Hull Lake Wma
- Sunshine Bottoms
- Gregory County
- Charles Mix County
- Spillway Drive Pickstown
- 376th Avenue Charles Mix County
Track Smith Family Ranch West 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 Smith Family Ranch West Dam
Where does the data for Smith Family Ranch West 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 Smith Family Ranch West Dam.