Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam dam
Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam
The Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam in Nevada is a vital structure designed for flood risk reduction along the Walker River. This earth dam stands at a height of 10 feet with a hydraulic height of 8 feet and a structural height of 11 feet. With a length of 11,400 feet and a storage capacity of 1,300 acre-feet, the dam serves multiple purposes including fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and flood risk reduction.
Managed by the Nevada Department of Water Resources, the Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam is state-regulated and regularly inspected to ensure its integrity and safety. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 5 feet and an outlet gate for controlled water release. Despite being classified as having a significant hazard potential, the dam is currently in fair condition, with a moderate risk rating.
Located in Lyon County, Nevada, the Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region. With its strategic design and purposeful construction, this dam exemplifies the importance of sustainable infrastructure for flood control and ecosystem preservation along the Walker River.
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 Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Walker R Nr Wabuska | 144 cfs | → |
| Walker River Ab Weber Res Nr Schurz | 106 cfs | → |
| Carson River Near Fort Churchill | 283 cfs | → |
| Walker R Abv Little Dam Nr Schurz | 180 cfs | → |
| Canal No 2 Abv Little Dam Nr Schurz | 0 cfs | → |
| Canal No 1 Blw Little Dam Nr Schurz | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam .
Campgrounds
- Fort Churchill State Park
- Silver Springs Beach - Lahotan State Park
- Lahontan Reservoir State Rec Area 1
- Wilson Canyon
- Lahontan Reservoir State Rec Area 2
- Dayton State Park
Fishing spots
Track Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond 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 Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam
Where does the data for Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond 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 Significant 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 Fort Churchill Power Plant Cooling Pond Dam .