Yelton Lake Dam dam
Yelton Lake Dam
Yelton Lake Dam in Bracken, Kentucky, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1975 for recreational purposes, with a storage capacity of 88 acre-feet and a surface area of 5.2 acres. The dam, located on Locust Creek, has a height of 35 feet and a length of 325 feet. Despite being uncontrolled, the spillway at Yelton Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and is rated for moderate risk, with the last inspection conducted in 2009.
Managed by the Kentucky Division of Water, Yelton Lake Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state agencies to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam is designed by the Soil Conservation Service and funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to meet recreational needs in the area. With a moderate risk assessment and a history of regular inspections, Yelton Lake Dam serves as a vital water resource for the community while maintaining a low hazard potential for surrounding areas.
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 Yelton Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Licking River Near Mt Olivet | 511 cfs | → |
| Licking River At Catawba | 3,190 cfs | → |
| Licking River At Mckinneysburg | 2,420 cfs | → |
| South Fork Licking River At Hayes | 3,690 cfs | → |
| White Oak Creek Above Georgetown Oh | 60 cfs | → |
| Licking River At Blue Lick Springs | 1,420 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Yelton Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Chilo Lock No. 34 Park
- Neville Boat Ramp Launch
- Kincaid Lake State Park Road Pendleton County
- Moscow Boat Ramp
- Eagle Creek Marina
- Lanes End Mentor
Campgrounds
Track Yelton 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 Yelton Lake Dam
Where does the data for Yelton 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 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 Yelton Lake Dam.