Gerald Lake dam
Gerald Lake
Gerald Lake, located in the Shiloh Church Community of Clay, Alabama, is a private recreational lake completed in 1959 with a primary purpose of providing leisure activities. The dam, primarily made of earth, has a hydraulic height of 25 feet and a structural height of 30 feet, with a total length of 400 feet. The lake has a storage capacity of 900 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 680 acre-feet, providing a picturesque setting for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
The low hazard potential of Gerald Lake makes it a safe and inviting destination for visitors seeking water-based activities. Despite not being state regulated or inspected, the lake offers a tranquil environment for fishing, boating, and other recreational pursuits. With a maximum discharge capacity of 624 cubic feet per second, the lake remains a popular spot for locals and tourists alike to unwind and connect with nature.
Although not rated for condition assessment, Gerald Lake continues to serve as a valuable resource for the community, offering a haven for water recreation in the heart of Alabama. As climate and water resource enthusiasts, exploring and appreciating gems like Gerald Lake can deepen our understanding of the importance of sustainable management and conservation practices for such vital 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 Gerald Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Choccolocco Creek Near Boiling Spring | 114 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Near Heflin | 175 cfs | → |
| Little Tallapoosa River Near Newell Al | 125 cfs | → |
| Little Tallapoosa River Below Bowdon | 39 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River At Wadley Al | 1,010 cfs | → |
| Choccolocco Creek At Jackson Shoal Nr Lincoln Al | 304 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gerald Lake.
Boat launches
- County Road 88 Randolph County
- Pointe South Drive Randolph County
- Randolph County
- County Road 99 Randolph County
- County Road 880 Randolph County
- County Road 7 Randolph County
Campgrounds
- Cheaha State Park
- Turnipseed Campground
- Turnipseed Hunter Camp
- Lake Chinnabee
- Pine Glen
- Pine Glen Recreation Area
Fishing spots
Track Gerald Lake 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 Gerald Lake
Where does the data for Gerald Lake 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 Gerald Lake.