Thorton No 3 dam
Thorton No 3
Thorton No 3 is a privately owned dam located in Mayes Crossroads, Alabama, along the TR Dry Creek. Constructed in 1958, this earth dam stands at a height of 15 feet and spans a length of 940 feet. With a primary purpose of providing fire protection and serving as a stock or small fish pond, Thorton No 3 also offers recreational opportunities for the community.
Despite its low hazard potential, Thorton No 3 has not been rated for its condition assessment and lacks updated emergency action plans. However, this dam provides a storage capacity of 126 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 23 cubic feet per second. While it is not under state jurisdiction or regulation, Thorton No 3 continues to serve its intended purposes and remains a valuable resource for water management in the area.
As a key feature in the local water infrastructure, Thorton No 3 plays a vital role in ensuring fire protection, supporting livestock and fish populations, and offering recreational activities. While improvements in emergency preparedness and condition assessment are necessary, this dam stands as a testament to the importance of private ownership in water resource management and climate resilience efforts.
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 Thorton No 3 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Terrapin Creek At Ellisville Al | 492 cfs | → |
| Big Wills Creek Near Reece City | 117 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Blue Pond Al | 450 cfs | → |
| Chattooga River Above Gaylesville Al | 568 cfs | → |
| Town Creek Near Geraldine Al | 72 cfs | → |
| Big Wills Creek At State Hwy 35 Nr Fort Payne | 65 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thorton No 3.
Boat launches
- Lonz Street 206, Gadsden
- Broad Street Gadsden
- Cherokee County 520, Centre
- Highway 68, Cedar Bluff
- Riverview Drive St. Clair County
- Cherokee County 556, Centre
Campgrounds
- Noccalula Falls Campground
- Chief Ladiga Trail Campground
- Coleman Lake Recreation Area
- Coleman Lake Rec Area
- Pine Glen
- Pine Glen Recreation Area
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge To Lake Weiss
- Al 35 Bridge To Ends One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge
- Confluence With East And West Branches To Al 37 Bridge
- River Miles 8 Near Ga Sate Line To Confluence With Little River
- Desoto Falls In Desoto State Park To Confluence With Little River
More reservoirs
Track Thorton No 3 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 Thorton No 3
Where does the data for Thorton No 3 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 Thorton No 3.