Colony Unit 4 dam
Colony Unit 4
Colony Unit 4, located in Fayette, Kentucky, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1997 for recreational purposes. With a height of 18 feet and a length of 400 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, providing a surface area of 4.6 acres for recreational activities. The dam is regulated by the KY Division of Water and has been inspected regularly, with the last assessment in September 2017 determining its condition as satisfactory, despite its high hazard potential.
The dam's spillway is uncontrolled with a width of 70 feet, and its risk assessment is moderate (3). While the dam meets guidelines for emergency action plans, there is no information available on the preparation of inundation maps or the implementation of risk management measures. The dam's designer, Clay Collins, P.E. from Eagle Engineering in Lexington, KY, has played a key role in ensuring the structural integrity of Colony Unit 4 for the safety and enjoyment of water resource and climate enthusiasts in the area.
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 Colony Unit 4 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wolf Run At Old Frankfort Pike At Lexington | 11 cfs | → |
| South Elkhorn Creek At Fort Spring | 15 cfs | → |
| Town Branch At Yarnallton Road At Yarnallton | 33 cfs | → |
| N Elkhorn Cr At Winchester Rd Nr Lexington | 17 cfs | → |
| South Elkhorn Creek Near Midway | 53 cfs | → |
| N Elkhorn Cr At Bryan Station Rd At Montrose | 27 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Colony Unit 4.
Boat launches
- Paris Pike Georgetown
- Great Crossing Walking Path Scott County
- Us 25 Georgetown
- Tyrone Main Street Anderson County
- Tates Creek Road 3302, Madison County
- Oregon Landing Road Mercer County
Campgrounds
- Kentucky Horse Park Campground
- Kentucky Horse Park Campgrounds
- Camp On The Kentucky
- Fort Boonesborough State Park
- Three Springs Campground
Paddle runs
Track Colony Unit 4 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 Colony Unit 4
Where does the data for Colony Unit 4 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 Colony Unit 4.