Graves Lake Dam dam
Graves Lake Dam
Graves Lake Dam, located in Fayette, Georgia, was completed in 1972 and serves primarily for recreational purposes. The dam, designed by SCS, is classified as an Earth dam with a height of 22 feet and a hydraulic height of 19.2 feet. It has a storage capacity of 147 acre-feet and a surface area of 11 acres, providing a serene setting for outdoor activities.
Despite its recreational value, Graves Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment as of the last inspection in February 2016. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, and it has uncontrolled outlet gates. With a drainage area of 435 square miles, the dam is under the regulatory oversight of the GA-SAFE DAMS PROGRAM, ensuring that inspections, enforcement, and permitting are in place to mitigate risks associated with its operation.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the data on Graves Lake Dam highlights the importance of maintaining and monitoring infrastructure to ensure public safety and environmental protection. The dam's location in the Savannah District and its association with A. Drew Ferguson IV (R) underscore the need for collaboration between private owners and state agencies to address the moderate risk associated with the dam. With a focus on risk management measures and regular inspections, efforts can be made to safeguard this recreational asset while promoting water resource sustainability 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 Graves Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Flint River Near Griffin | 60 cfs | → |
| Shoal Creek At Shoal Creek Rd | 9 cfs | → |
| Line Creek Near Senoia | 16 cfs | → |
| Flint River Near Lovejoy | 25 cfs | → |
| Pates Creek At Buster Lewis Rd Near Flippen | 10 cfs | → |
| South River At Forest Park Road | 13 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Graves Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Burch Lake Road Fayette County
- West Mcintosh Road Spalding County
- Pine Crest Drive 127, Peachtree City
- 1124 Peachtree City
- Peachtree Parkway 488, Shake Rag
- East Bagwell Road Pike County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Griffin City Reservoir
- Padgett Lake
- Jester Creek
- Clayton County International Park
- High Falls Lake
- Indian Springs State Park Lake
Track Graves 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 Graves Lake Dam
Where does the data for Graves 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 Graves Lake Dam.