Cottonwood Lake Dam dam
Cottonwood Lake Dam
Located in Decatur, Indiana, Cottonwood Lake Dam is a privately owned structure with a significant hazard potential. Completed in 2002 by Regional Services Crop., this earth dam stands at a height of 55 feet and spans 1200 feet in length, creating a storage capacity of 650 acre-feet. The dam regulates an unnamed tributary of Sand Creek and is under the regulatory authority of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
With a fair condition assessment as of December 2010, Cottonwood Lake Dam is inspected every three years to ensure its structural integrity. The dam features a valve outlet gate and an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 100 feet. Despite its moderate risk classification, the dam has a normal storage capacity of 525 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 28 acres. Its location in a rural area highlights the importance of proper maintenance and emergency preparedness measures.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the details and significance of dams like Cottonwood Lake Dam is crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of our water infrastructure. By recognizing the potential risks and management measures associated with structures like this, we can work towards safeguarding our water resources and mitigating the impacts of climate change on our communities.
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 Cottonwood Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Clifty Creek At Hartsville | 2,380 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At St. Paul | 3,800 cfs | → |
| Brush Creek Near Nebraska | 424 cfs | → |
| Haw Creek Near Clifford | 915 cfs | → |
| Vernon Fork Muscatatuck River At Vernon | 6,760 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At Columbus | 3,500 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cottonwood Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- North State Route 7 9340, Elizabethtown
- Bischoff Reservoir Launch
- L Road Ripley County
- North Delaware Road Ripley County
- County Road 550 North Bartholomew County
- Water Street 300-498, Columbus
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cottonwood 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 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 Cottonwood Lake Dam.