Morris Dees dam
Morris Dees
Morris Dees is a private earth dam located in Montgomery, Alabama, near the Morning Star Church. Built in 1952, it serves primarily for fire protection, as well as for stock and small fish pond purposes, with a storage capacity of 150 acre-feet. The dam stands at a hydraulic height of 19 feet and a structural height of 23 feet, spanning a length of 700 feet along TR Catoma Creek.
Despite its low hazard potential and condition assessment of "Not Rated," Morris Dees remains a vital resource for the local community. With a maximum discharge capacity of 420 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in ensuring water availability for fire protection and recreational activities in the area. Owned privately, it does not fall under state jurisdiction or regulation, making it an independent and essential component of the local water resource infrastructure.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Morris Dees represents a historic and functional structure that highlights the importance of earth dams in providing crucial water storage and management solutions. Its presence near the Morning Star Church and its role in fire protection and recreational activities make it a significant asset for the community, showcasing the intersection of human development and natural resource utilization in a sustainable manner. As a low-hazard facility with no state permitting or inspection requirements, Morris Dees stands as a testament to effective private ownership and management of water resources in Alabama.
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 Morris Dees -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Catoma Creek Near Montgomery Al | 45 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Near Mont.-Mont. Water Works | 1,950 cfs | → |
| Alabama River Near Montgomery | 12,400 cfs | → |
| Conecuh River At Brantley Al | 342 cfs | → |
| Patsaliga Creek Near Brantley Al | 281 cfs | → |
| Pea River Near Ariton Al | 446 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Morris Dees.
Fishing spots
More reservoirs
Track Morris Dees 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 Morris Dees
Where does the data for Morris Dees 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 Morris Dees.