Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) dam
Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower)
Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) in Parke, Indiana, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1959 for recreational purposes. With a height of 63 feet and a length of 450 feet, the dam creates a storage capacity of 1,595 acre-feet and a surface area of 60 acres. The dam is situated on the Straight Branch river and is regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, with regular inspections ensuring its structural integrity.
The dam's spillway, with a width of 20 feet, is uncontrolled, and its outlet gates consist of valves. Despite being classified as having significant hazard potential, the dam is currently in fair condition, as assessed in 2011. The dam's risk assessment is moderate, with a risk rating of 3, reflecting the need for ongoing risk management measures to ensure the safety of the surrounding area. Overall, Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) serves as both a recreational feature and a crucial water resource infrastructure in Parke County, Indiana.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) to be a fascinating structure, with its unique design by Mobile Drilling and Engineering, Inc. and its location in the Louisville District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. Despite its age, the dam continues to provide valuable storage and flood control benefits to the surrounding area. As efforts to maintain and improve the dam's safety continue, it remains an essential component of the region's water resource management and a testament to the importance of sustainable infrastructure development in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Raccoon Creek Near Fincastle Ind | 340 cfs | → |
| Big Raccoon Creek At Coxville | 956 cfs | → |
| Plum Creek Near Bainbridge | 15 cfs | → |
| Wabash River At Montezuma | 10,000 cfs | → |
| Big Walnut Creek Near Roachdale | 538 cfs | → |
| Eel River At Bowling Green | 3,610 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower).
Boat launches
- Marshall Road Rockville
- Henley Road 8823, Marshall
- I 70 Clay County
- Blackman Street, Clinton
- Lake Shore Drive Owen County
- Ten High Drive Owen County
Track Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) 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 Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower)
Where does the data for Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower) 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 Rocky Fork Lake Dam (Lower).