Curtis Lake Dam dam
Curtis Lake Dam
Curtis Lake Dam, also known as Winthrope Lake Dam, is a privately owned earth dam located in Smithsonia, Georgia. Built in 1971 by designer PILKINTON, this dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 37 acres for visitors to enjoy. The dam stands at a height of 27 feet and has a length of 630 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 487 acre-feet and a drainage area of 1217 acres along the Long Branch river.
Despite being privately owned, Curtis Lake Dam falls under state jurisdiction and is subject to regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity. The dam has been deemed to have a low hazard potential with a moderate risk assessment rating. Its spillway type is uncontrolled, and it has uncontrolled outlet gates. The dam has not been rated for its condition assessment, but it meets the guidelines for an emergency action plan (EAP) and has had inspections every 5 years, with the last one conducted in August 2016.
Overall, Curtis Lake Dam is a vital water resource in Oglethorpe, Georgia, providing both recreational opportunities and necessary storage capacity. While it has a low hazard potential, regular inspections and risk assessments are conducted to maintain its safety and functionality. Water and climate enthusiasts visiting the area can appreciate the beauty and significance of this earth dam along the Long Branch river.
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 Curtis Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Oconee River At College St | 62 cfs | → |
| South Fork Broad River At Carlton | 87 cfs | → |
| Broad River Above Carlton | 338 cfs | → |
| Middle Oconee River Near Athens | 138 cfs | → |
| Oconee River Near Penfield | 260 cfs | → |
| Middle Oconee River Near Arcade | 123 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Curtis Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Middleton Church Road 1276, Elberton
- Middleton Church Road Middleton
- Anderson Highway 2925, Elberton
- Pearl Mill Road 1437, Elberton
- Olympic Rowing Drive 2790, Elberton
- Dry Fork Landing Drive 1387, Elberton
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Chapman Lake
- Twin Lakes
- Richard B Russell Lake
- Reservoir Number One
- Lightwood Log Creek
- Ah Stephens State Park
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of Brasstown Creek And Little Brasstown Creek Just South Of Brasstown Falls Road (Fs 751) To Confluence Of Mill Branch, Brasstown Creek And Boatwright Creek Near Boatwright Road (Fs 753)
- Confluence Of Cedar Creek To 1/4 Mile Below The Nf Boundary And Fh 110, Cobbs Bridge Road
- South Of Cedar Creek Rifle Range To Confluence With Chauga River
- 1/4 Mile Below Fs 745 And Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp To Confluence Of Cedar Creek
- Nf Boundary To Glenwood Springs/Lake Sinclair
- Crpssing Of Land Bridge Road, Sc 196 To 1/4 Mile Below Fs 745 And Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp
Track Curtis 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 Curtis Lake Dam
Where does the data for Curtis 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 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 Curtis Lake Dam.