Stony Creek Dam dam
Stony Creek Dam
Stony Creek Dam, located in Afton, Michigan, is a state-regulated earth dam built in 1952 primarily for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a height of 11.5 feet with a hydraulic height of 8.8 feet, providing a normal storage capacity of 380 acre-feet within its reservoir on Stony Creek. With a low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, the dam has a maximum discharge of 530 cubic feet per second and a surface area of 190 acres.
The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, with a width of 15 feet. Despite its age, the structure has a moderate risk classification and a history of regular inspections, the last of which occurred in June 2011. The dam's associated risk management measures and emergency action plans are currently being assessed for adequacy, ensuring the safety of the surrounding Cheboygan County community in the event of a potential flood or other emergency situation. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Stony Creek Dam serves as both a recreational attraction and a critical piece of infrastructure to monitor and safeguard for the future.
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 Stony Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon River At Wolverine | 320 cfs | → |
| Pigeon R At Sturgeon Valley Rd Near Vanderbilt | 95 cfs | → |
| Jordan River Near East Jordan | 215 cfs | → |
| Thunder Bay River At Herron Road Near Bolton | 694 cfs | → |
| Au Sable River Near Red Oak | 1,370 cfs | → |
| Au Sable River At Mio | 1,330 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Stony Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- County Road S-6 Waverly Township
- Black River Avenue 6463, Tower
- Eisens Trail Grant Township
- Long Lake Boat Ramp Aloha Township
- Carter Road Benton Township
- Number 37 Road Inverness Township
Campgrounds
- Stoney Creek Trail Camp - State Forest
- Stoney Creek Trail Camp
- Onaway State Park
- Aloha State Park
- Black Lake State Forest Campground
- Black Lake Trail Camp - Mackinaw State Forest
Fishing spots
More reservoirs
Track Stony Creek 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 Stony Creek Dam
Where does the data for Stony Creek 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 Stony Creek Dam.