Castor Lake dam
Castor Lake
Castor Lake, located in Vernon, Louisiana, is a privately owned water resource known for its recreational opportunities. Built in 1932 by FJ RATEAU, this earth dam on Pond Branch stands at a height of 13 feet and has a storage capacity of 70 acre-feet. The dam serves a primary purpose of recreation, offering a surface area of 14 acres for activities such as fishing, boating, and picnicking.
Despite being rated as a low hazard potential structure, Castor Lake is under the regulatory oversight of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, ensuring that it meets state inspection and enforcement standards. The controlled spillway with a width of 28 feet helps manage water levels, while the dam's foundations consist of soil and core types include buttress and stone. With a very high risk assessment rating, this water resource is vital for the Castor Lake community and plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area.
Overall, Castor Lake is a significant water resource in Louisiana, providing both recreational opportunities and essential water management functions. With its historical significance dating back to the early 20th century, this earth dam continues to be a valuable asset for the community and a key player in climate resilience efforts. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the details of Castor Lake's design, regulatory oversight, and risk assessment can offer insights into the complex interplay between human-made infrastructure and natural ecosystems.
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 Castor Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bayou Anacoco Near Rosepine | 803 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Burkeville | 828 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv At Toledo Bd Res Nr Burkeville | 330 cfs | → |
| Bayou Toro Near Toro | 91 cfs | → |
| Bundick Ck Nr De Ridder | 321 cfs | → |
| Calcasieu River Nr Glenmora | 290 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Castor Lake.
Track Castor Lake 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 Castor Lake
Where does the data for Castor Lake 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 Castor Lake.