Cedar River Dam dam
Cedar River Dam
Located in Bellaire, Michigan, the Cedar River Dam is a local government-owned structure that serves primarily for recreation purposes. Completed in 1890, this earth dam stands at a height of 25 feet and spans 1500 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 475 acre-feet. The dam, situated on the Cedar River, is regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (DEGLE), with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance.
With a controlled spillway and a maximum discharge capacity of 270 cubic feet per second, the Cedar River Dam poses a high hazard potential but has been assessed as satisfactory in condition. The dam's risk assessment indicates a very high risk level (1), prompting the need for vigilant monitoring and risk management measures. Despite its age, the Cedar River Dam continues to provide essential recreational opportunities for the community while emphasizing the importance of water resource management and climate resilience in the face of potential hazards and risks.
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 Cedar River Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan River Near East Jordan | 288 cfs | → |
| Boardman R Above Brown Bridge Road Nr Mayfield | 248 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon River At Wolverine | 412 cfs | → |
| Pigeon R At Sturgeon Valley Rd Near Vanderbilt | 230 cfs | → |
| South Branch Au Sable River Near Luzerne | 315 cfs | → |
| Manistee River Near Sherman | 1,740 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cedar River Dam.
Boat launches
- Lewin Road Forest Home Township
- North W Torch Lake Drive Milton Township
- West Old State Road 1467, Jordan Township
- Six Mile Lake Road Echo Township
- Webster Bridge Road 4802, Jordan Township
- Boat Ramp Access South Arm Township
Campgrounds
- Craven County Park
- Pleasant Valley Bible Camp
- Thurston Co Park
- Graves Crossing State Forest Campground
- Graves Crossing - State Forest
- Pinney Bridge - State Forest
Fishing spots
- Elk River
- East Arm Grand Traverse Bay
- West Arm Grand Traverse Bay
- Lake Charlevoix
- Pine River
- Boardman River
Track Cedar River 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 Cedar River Dam
Where does the data for Cedar River 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 Cedar River Dam.