Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr) dam
Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr)
Lake Icaria Dam, located on Kemp Creek in Nodaway, Adams County, Iowa, is a significant earth dam completed in 1974 by the USDA NRCS. With a height of 56 feet and a length of 1310 feet, this dam serves multiple purposes including flood risk reduction, recreation, and water supply. The reservoir has a normal storage capacity of 8650 acre-feet, providing valuable water resources for the surrounding community.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Iowa DNR, Lake Icaria Dam plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the area. The dam has a significant hazard potential and is inspected every five years, with the most recent assessment in June 2020 revealing a satisfactory condition. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled with a width of 6 feet, ensuring efficient water discharge during high flow events.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Lake Icaria Dam offers a fascinating insight into dam engineering and water management practices in Iowa. With its strategic location and multiple functionalities, this earth dam stands as a testament to effective flood risk reduction measures while providing recreational opportunities and essential water supply resources for 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 Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nodaway River At Clarinda | 1,670 cfs | → |
| East Nishnabotna River At Red Oak | 480 cfs | → |
| East Nishnabotna River Near Atlantic | 239 cfs | → |
| East Fork 102 River At Bedford | 1 cfs | → |
| West Nishnabotna River At Hancock | 340 cfs | → |
| West Nishnabotna River At Randolph | 895 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr).
Track Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr) 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 Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr)
Where does the data for Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr) 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 Significant 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 Lake Icaria Dam (Site M-1-A Walters Cr).