Home Ranch Canyon Dam dam
Home Ranch Canyon Dam
Home Ranch Canyon Dam, also known as Twin Springs Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Washoe County, Nevada. The dam, built on Twin Springs Creek, serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with additional functions including fire protection, stock, small fish pond, and recreation. The earth dam stands at a height of 15 feet and has a hydraulic height of 13 feet, with a length of 800 feet and a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet.
Despite its crucial role in water management, Home Ranch Canyon Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition, as indicated by a recent inspection. The dam lacks a spillway and outlet gates, raising concerns about its ability to withstand extreme weather events. The risk assessment categorizes the structure as high risk, highlighting the need for immediate attention to ensure public safety and prevent potential disasters.
With the Nevada Division of Water Resources overseeing regulation, inspection, and enforcement, efforts are being made to address the dam's maintenance and safety concerns. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is essential to monitor and advocate for the proper management of structures like Home Ranch Canyon Dam to safeguard water resources and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our communities and ecosystems.
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 Home Ranch Canyon Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Truckee R Bl Derby Dam Nr Wadsworth | 702 cfs | → |
| Truckee R Nr Nixon | 698 cfs | → |
| Truckee River Nr Tracy | 1,290 cfs | → |
| Truckee Ca Nr Wadsworth | 389 cfs | → |
| Truckee R At Wadsworth | 676 cfs | → |
| N Truckee Drain At Spanish Springs Rd Nr Sparks Nv | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Home Ranch Canyon Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Lahontan Reservoir State Rec Area 1
- Silver Springs Beach - Lahotan State Park
- Lahontan Reservoir State Rec Area 2
Fishing spots
Track Home Ranch Canyon 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 Home Ranch Canyon Dam
Where does the data for Home Ranch Canyon 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 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 Home Ranch Canyon Dam.