Mallard Lake Dam dam
Mallard Lake Dam
Mallard Lake Dam, also known as Lake Frierson Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Cottondale, Alabama. Built in 1948, this earth dam stands at a height of 26 feet with a hydraulic height of 25 feet. The dam serves primarily for recreation purposes, providing a storage capacity of 159 acre-feet and a normal storage of 66 acre-feet in Mallard Lake.
With a high hazard potential, Mallard Lake Dam has not been rated for its condition assessment. Despite its significance for recreation, the dam has not undergone recent inspections or evaluations of its emergency action plan. Situated on Bee Branch, a tributary of the Tuscaloosa River, the dam's maximum discharge capacity is recorded at 641 cubic feet per second.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Mallard Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned structure in need of assessment and potential risk management measures. Its historical significance and recreational value are juxtaposed with its lack of recent inspections and assessments, highlighting the importance of monitoring and maintaining critical infrastructure for water resources in the face of changing climate conditions and increasing hazard potentials.
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 Mallard Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cribbs Mill Creek At Ww Plant At Tuscaloosa | 64 cfs | → |
| Black Warrior River At Northport Al | 811 cfs | → |
| Turkey Creek Near Tuscaloosa | 1 cfs | → |
| Elliotts Creek At Moundville Al | 8 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near West Blocton Al | 202 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River At Centreville Al | 423 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mallard Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Deerlick Road Tuscaloosa County
- County Road 109 13399, Tuscaloosa County
- 7th Avenue Northeast 401-599, Tuscaloosa
- Rock Quarry Drive Tuscaloosa
- Lock 15 Road 12701, Tuscaloosa County
- Binion Creek Landing Park
Campgrounds
- Holt Lake
- Deerlick
- Blue Creek
- Lake Lurleen State Park
- Moundville Archaeological Park Campground
- Burchfield Branch Park
Fishing spots
Track Mallard Lake 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 Mallard Lake Dam
Where does the data for Mallard Lake 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 Mallard Lake Dam.