Great Star Drive Swm Dam dam
Great Star Drive Swm Dam
Great Star Drive Swm Dam, also known as Village of River Hill, Section 4 Swm Dam, is a private dam located in Howard County, Maryland. Built in 1997 by Gutshick, Little & Weber, this earth dam stands at a height of 20 feet and stretches 600 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 52 acre-feet, the dam serves as a crucial structure for flood control and water resource management in the area.
Managed and regulated by the Maryland Dam Safety agency, Great Star Drive Swm Dam has a low hazard potential and is deemed to be in satisfactory condition. The dam is designed to allow for uncontrolled spillway discharge and is subject to regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and safety. Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, the dam has not undergone any significant modifications or emergency action plan updates in recent years.
Situated near the Middle Patuxent River, this private dam plays a vital role in protecting the surrounding community from potential flooding while also contributing to the overall water management efforts in the region. Its presence underscores the importance of proper infrastructure maintenance and regulatory oversight in safeguarding water resources and mitigating the impacts of climate change on local 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 Great Star Drive Swm Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Patuxent River Below Brighton Dam Near Brighton | 14 cfs | → |
| Little Patuxent River At Guilford | 122 cfs | → |
| Hawlings River Near Sandy Spring | 17 cfs | → |
| Patuxent Riv Near Laurel | 19 cfs | → |
| Patuxent River Near Unity | 15 cfs | → |
| Cattail Creek Near Glenwood | 16 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Great Star Drive Swm Dam.
Boat launches
- Lightspun Lane 5665, Long Reach
- Supplee Launch
- 99 Drop Howard County
- Liberty Road Carroll County
- Piney Run Park
- Lakeview Avenue Carroll County
Campgrounds
Track Great Star Drive Swm 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 Great Star Drive Swm Dam
Where does the data for Great Star Drive Swm 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 Great Star Drive Swm Dam.