Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility dam
Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility
The Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility (IHC CDF) in Indiana serves as a crucial structure for navigation and tailings purposes, managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Completed in 2011, the earth dam stands at 21 feet high and stretches over 8,777 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 2,100 acre-feet. Despite being classified as a high hazard potential structure, the facility is closely monitored and maintained by USACE to mitigate risks of potential failure modes.
To ensure the safety and integrity of the IHC CDF, various risk management measures are in place, including regular inspections, instrumentation monitoring, and an Emergency Action Plan. The facility undergoes annual engineering inspections, quarterly surveillance reports, and has implemented specific measures like regrading the crest, adding riprap for slope protection, and maintaining shallower pool levels to reduce erosion risks. Furthermore, the project has incorporated features in its expansion to enhance safety and provides dam safety training to staff and contractors, demonstrating a commitment to effective risk management to safeguard surrounding areas and prevent potential inundation in case of a breach.
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 Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Harbor Canal At East Chicago | 1,820 cfs | → |
| Grand Calumet R At Hohman Ave. At Hammond | 137 cfs | → |
| Little Calumet River At Munster | 21 cfs | → |
| Grand Calumet River At Industrial Hwy At Gary | 409 cfs | → |
| Hart Ditch At Munster | 30 cfs | → |
| Little Calumet River At South Holland | 73 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility.
Track Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility 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 Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility
Where does the data for Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility 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 High 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 Indiana Harbor Canal Confined Disposal Facility.