Northern Ky Airport Dam dam
Northern Ky Airport Dam
The Northern Ky Airport Dam, located in Boone, Kentucky, serves as a vital structure for flood risk reduction along Gunpowder Creek. Constructed in 1999, this Roller-Compacted Concrete dam stands at a height of 33 feet and spans a length of 1200 feet, providing a storage capacity of 768.5 acre-feet. Despite being privately owned, the dam is regulated by the Kentucky Division of Water and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and functionality.
With a spillway width of 79 feet and an uncontrolled spillway type, the Northern Ky Airport Dam has been assessed to have a high hazard potential and fair condition as of September 2017. The dam's risk assessment is moderate, indicating a level 3 risk, and it is monitored closely for any necessary risk management measures. In the event of an emergency, the dam's Emergency Action Plan, last revised in October 2014, outlines procedures and contacts for swift response and mitigation.
Managed by Woolpert LLP in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Northern Ky Airport Dam plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding area from flooding events. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the importance of well-maintained infrastructure like this dam becomes increasingly apparent. Enthusiasts of water resource management and climate resilience will find the Northern Ky Airport Dam to be a fascinating case study in flood risk reduction and emergency preparedness.
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 Northern Ky Airport Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Gunpowder Cr At Camp Ernst Rd Nr Union | 353 cfs | → |
| Elijahs Creek @ Elijahs Creek Rd Nr Hebron | 20 cfs | → |
| Woolper Creek At Woolper Road Near Burlington | 74 cfs | → |
| Banklick Creek @ Highway 1829 Nr Erlanger | 84 cfs | → |
| Mud Lick Cr At Hwy 42 Nr Beaverlick | 318 cfs | → |
| Cruises Creek At Hwy 17 Nr Piner | 9 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Northern Ky Airport Dam.
Boat launches
- Riverside Boat Launch Ramp
- Hamilton County Parks - Shawnee Lookout
- Fredericks Landing Wilder
- Cooper Avenue 56, Cleves
- Tanner’S Creek Drive Lawrenceburg
- Ohio River Scenic Byway 248-252, Aurora
Campgrounds
- Big Bone Lick State Park
- Big Bone Lick State Historic Site
- Bullock Pen Lake Ramp - Dfwr
- Miami Whitewater Forest
- Boltz Lake Ramp - Dfwr
- Governor Bebb Preserve
Fishing spots
Track Northern Ky Airport 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 Northern Ky Airport Dam
Where does the data for Northern Ky Airport 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 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 Northern Ky Airport Dam.