Belcher Lumber Company Dam dam
Belcher Lumber Company Dam
Belcher Lumber Company Dam, also known as Catfish Lake Dam, is a private-owned structure located in Oak Mountain State Park, Alabama. Built in 1968, this earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 90 feet and a structural height of 129 feet, impounding the TR-CAHABA VALLEY CREEK to create a recreational reservoir with a storage capacity of 324 acre-feet. While the dam is primarily used for recreation, it also serves as a vital water resource for the surrounding area.
Despite its recreational use, Belcher Lumber Company Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its condition being labeled as "Not Rated". The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and inundation maps remain unclear, raising concerns about the level of preparedness in case of a dam failure. With no state regulation or inspection in place, the responsibility for ensuring the safety and maintenance of the dam falls solely on the private owner.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the intricacies of Belcher Lumber Company Dam's design, purpose, and maintenance practices provide a compelling case study in the intersection of human intervention and natural ecosystems. The lack of state oversight highlights the importance of proactive monitoring and management of water infrastructure to prevent potential hazards and ensure the long-term sustainability of water resources in the region.
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 Belcher Lumber Company Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River Near Cahaba Heights Al | 7 cfs | → |
| Little Cahaba River At Cah Bea Rd Nr Cahaba Hts Al | 74 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Hoover | 16 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Acton Al | 16 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Mountain Brook Al | 48 cfs | → |
| Cahaba Valley Creek At Cross Cr Rd At Pelham | 9 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Belcher Lumber Company Dam.
Boat launches
- Terrace Drive Pelham
- Beeswax Park Road 2-750, Columbiana
- Kelly Creek Boat Landing, Vincent
- Hollywood Boulevard 449, Childersburg
- Bells Lane St. Clair County
- Highlands Drive Trussville
Campgrounds
- Oak Mountain State Park
- Hoover Rv Park
- Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park
- Campground #2
- Campground #1
- Brierfield Ironworks Historical Park
Track Belcher Lumber Company 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 Belcher Lumber Company Dam
Where does the data for Belcher Lumber Company 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 Belcher Lumber Company Dam.