Duck Creek Pond Dam dam
Duck Creek Pond Dam
Duck Creek Pond Dam, located in Smyrna, Delaware, is a private dam primarily used for recreation purposes. This gravity dam, standing at a height of 9.33 feet and with a length of 510 feet, is situated on the Green Spring Branch river. With a maximum storage capacity of 253 acre-feet and a normal storage capacity of 187.81 acre-feet, this dam covers a surface area of 28.72 acres and drains an area of 17.64 square miles.
Despite being a private structure, Duck Creek Pond Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its location and design. The dam is equipped with a controlled spillway that is 80 feet wide, and it has three other controlled outlet gates. While the condition assessment of the dam is currently not rated, it is essential for the owners to regularly inspect and maintain the structure to ensure its safety and effectiveness in water resource management.
Given its high hazard potential and very high risk assessment rating, Duck Creek Pond Dam highlights the importance of proper risk management measures and emergency preparedness. The dam does not fall under state regulation or inspection, emphasizing the responsibility of the private owners to uphold the safety and integrity of this crucial water resource infrastructure. As climate change continues to impact water resources, enthusiasts and stakeholders must remain vigilant in monitoring and maintaining dams like Duck Creek Pond to mitigate risks and ensure sustainable water management practices.
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 Duck Creek Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Blackbird Creek At Blackbird | 1 cfs | → |
| Silver Lake Tributary At Middletown | 1 cfs | → |
| St Jones River At Dover | 9 cfs | → |
| Unicorn Branch Near Millington | 15 cfs | → |
| Chesterville Branch Near Crumpton | 1 cfs | → |
| Morgan Creek Near Kennedyville | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Duck Creek Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Carlton Lane 138, Kent County
- Collins Beach Road New Castle County
- Woodland Beach Road 7414, Kent County
- Stave Landing Road New Castle County
- Silver Lake Park
- Stow Neck Road Salem County
Campgrounds
- Dover Afb Military
- Lums Pond Youth Camping
- Sandy Hill Camp
- Camp Rodney
- Yogi Bear Tall Pines Campground
- Parvin State Park
Fishing spots
Track Duck Creek Pond 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 Duck Creek Pond Dam
Where does the data for Duck Creek Pond 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 Duck Creek Pond Dam.