Joy Lake Dam dam
Joy Lake Dam
Joy Lake Dam is a significant earth dam located in Rex, Clayton, Georgia, completed in 1954 for recreational purposes. With a height of 21 feet and a storage capacity of 206 acre-feet, the dam serves as a popular spot for outdoor activities in the area. The dam is under the jurisdiction of the Georgia SAFE DAMS PROGRAM, with regular inspections ensuring its satisfactory condition and high hazard potential.
Despite its uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, Joy Lake Dam has been deemed to have moderate risk (3) and poses potential risks that require careful monitoring and management. The dam overlooks an unnamed river or stream and covers a surface area of 15 acres within a drainage area of 269 acres. In the event of an emergency, it is essential for authorities to have updated emergency action plans and contact information to mitigate any potential risks associated with the dam.
Overall, Joy Lake Dam stands as a vital local government-owned structure in Georgia, offering a recreational haven while requiring diligent oversight and risk management to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and the environment. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate should keep an eye on this dam as it continues to play a crucial role in the region's recreational landscape and water resource management 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 Joy Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South River At Forest Park Road | 13 cfs | → |
| Intrenchment Creek Near Atlanta | 4 cfs | → |
| South River At Flakes Mill Road Nr Atlanta | 36 cfs | → |
| Pates Creek At Buster Lewis Rd Near Flippen | 10 cfs | → |
| South River At Klondike Road | 108 cfs | → |
| S.F. Peachtree Creek | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Joy Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Henry County
- Hooch Boat Ramp
- Cobb Parkway South Vinings
- Peachtree Parkway 488, Shake Rag
- Burch Lake Road Fayette County
- West Palisades Vinings
Campgrounds
- Stone Mountain Park Campground
- Stone Mountain Campground
- Cochran Mill County Park
- Dobbins Lakeside Military
- Newton Factory Shoals Rec Area
Fishing spots
- Clayton County International Park
- Jester Creek
- Chapel Hill Park
- Buena Vista Lake
- Avondale Lake
- Lake To-Lani
Track Joy 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 Joy Lake Dam
Where does the data for Joy 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 Joy Lake Dam.