Marlow Pond Dam dam
Marlow Pond Dam
Marlow Pond Dam, located in Marion, Illinois, is a state-regulated earth dam completed in 1950 with a primary purpose of "Other." Standing at 28 feet high and stretching 312 feet in length, the dam harnesses the waters of the Lost Fork-Offstream for a normal storage capacity of 22 acre-feet. With a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating, the dam is inspected every five years by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Despite its uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, Marlow Pond Dam poses minimal risk to surrounding areas, as evidenced by its low hazard potential. The dam is overseen by the St. Louis District of the US Army Corps of Engineers and falls under the jurisdiction of the Illinois state regulatory agency. While the condition assessment is currently unavailable, the structure is deemed to be in satisfactory condition and compliant with state inspection and enforcement standards.
With a conservative approach to risk management, Marlow Pond Dam serves as a critical piece of infrastructure for water resource management in the region. As a source of both concern and opportunity for climate and water resource enthusiasts, the dam's continued maintenance and monitoring are essential to ensuring the safety and sustainability of the surrounding community and environment.
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 Marlow Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Fork Kaskaskia River Near Sandoval | 32 cfs | → |
| Hickory Creek Nr Brownstown | 14 cfs | → |
| Little Wabash River Below Clay City | 8,580 cfs | → |
| Kaskaskia River At Vandalia | 2,210 cfs | → |
| Skillet Fork At Wayne City | 351 cfs | → |
| Little Wabash River Near Effingham | 96 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Marlow Pond Dam.
Track Marlow Pond 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 Marlow Pond Dam
Where does the data for Marlow Pond 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 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 Marlow Pond Dam.