Melton Lake Dam dam
Melton Lake Dam
Melton Lake Dam, located in Buena Vista, Georgia, was completed in 1964 and is primarily owned and operated by a private entity. The dam, standing at a height of 21.4 feet, serves a recreational purpose and has a storage capacity of 81 acre-feet. Built with an earth core and buttress structure, the dam spans 420 feet in length and covers a surface area of 6.5 acres.
Despite being unregulated by the state, Melton Lake Dam is managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and falls under the jurisdiction of the Mobile District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with an undetermined hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating. While the condition assessment is marked as "Not Rated," the dam has not been inspected in recent years and lacks emergency action plans and inundation maps.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Melton Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study in private ownership and recreational use of a critical infrastructure. With its unique design and moderate risk assessment, the dam serves as a reminder of the importance of proper maintenance and emergency preparedness in ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources 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 Melton Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Upatoi Creek Near Columbus | 651 cfs | → |
| Kinchafoonee Creek At Preston | 287 cfs | → |
| Muckalee Creek Near Americus | 393 cfs | → |
| Hannahatchee Creek At Union | 84 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River At Us 280 | 1,990 cfs | → |
| Uchee Creek Near Fort Mitchell | 249 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Melton Lake Dam.
Track Melton 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 Melton Lake Dam
Where does the data for Melton 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 Undetermined 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 Melton Lake Dam.