Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) dam
Twin Lakes Dam (Upper)
Twin Lakes Dam (Upper), also known as Twin Lake South Dam, is a privately owned structure located in the Banks School Community of Elbert, Georgia. Built in 1950, this earth dam stands at a height of 40 feet and has a structural height of 36 feet, providing a storage capacity of 291 acre-feet for recreational purposes. Managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the dam has an uncontrolled spillway and uncontrolled outlet gates, with a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating.
Despite not being regulated by the state, Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) has undergone inspections every five years, with the last assessment conducted in October 2011. The dam's condition is currently not rated, and there is no Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place. With a risk management plan yet to be specified, the dam presents a moderate risk (level 3) due to its age and lack of recent assessments. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of recreational use and dam safety in a privately owned structure in Georgia's picturesque landscape.
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 Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Broad River Near Bell | 428 cfs | → |
| Beaverdam Creek Ab Elberton Ga | 25 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Mt. Carmel | 42 cfs | → |
| Broad River Above Carlton | 343 cfs | → |
| South Fork Broad River At Carlton | 87 cfs | → |
| Rocky River Nr Starr | 34 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Twin Lakes Dam (Upper).
Boat launches
- Pearl Mill Road 1437, Elberton
- Middleton Church Road Middleton
- Middleton Church Road 1276, Elberton
- County Road 381, Elberton
- Dry Fork Landing Drive 1387, Elberton
- Olympic Rowing Drive 2790, Elberton
Campgrounds
- Calhoun Falls State Rec Area
- Richard B. Russell State Park
- Broad River - Strom Thurmond Lake
- Bobby Brown State Park
- Mount Carmel - Strom Thurmond Lake
- Hesters Ferry - Strom Thurmond Lake
Fishing spots
- Richard B Russell Lake
- Parsons Mountain Lake
- Lightwood Log Creek
- Cherokee Creek
- Cliatt Creek
- Lake Hartwell
Paddle runs
- Turkey Creek And Sc Highway 35 To Confluence With Stevens Creek
- Steven's Creek Crossing Sc Highway 21 To Steven's Creek Crossing Sc Highway 88
- 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
- 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)
Track Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) 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 Twin Lakes Dam (Upper)
Where does the data for Twin Lakes Dam (Upper) 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 Twin Lakes Dam (Upper).