Tau Beta Dam dam
Tau Beta Dam
Tau Beta Dam, located in Columbiaville, Michigan, along the Whipple Drain, serves as a recreational structure with a primary purpose of providing leisure activities for water enthusiasts. Constructed in 1927, this earth dam stands at a height of 13 feet and stretches 200 feet in length, offering a normal storage capacity of 50 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 1600 cubic feet per second. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, ensuring state jurisdiction, permitting, inspection, and enforcement.
Managed by a private owner, Tau Beta Dam boasts a serene surface area of 10 acres within its drainage area of 8 square miles. With an uncontrolled spillway width of 50 feet, the dam provides a safe recreational environment for visitors seeking outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and wildlife observation. Although last inspected in 2006, the dam's moderate risk assessment rating of 3 underscores the importance of ongoing risk management measures to ensure the safety and stability of this vital water resource in Lapeer County, Michigan.
In the heart of the Buffalo District, Tau Beta Dam continues to attract water resource and climate enthusiasts seeking a tranquil escape in the picturesque surroundings of Columbiaville. With its historical significance and recreational value, this earth dam stands as a testament to responsible water management practices and the harmonious coexistence of nature and human recreation. As climate change impacts our water resources, the preservation and maintenance of structures like Tau Beta Dam are crucial in safeguarding our environment for future generations of water and outdoor enthusiasts.
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 Tau Beta Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Branch Flint River Near Columbiaville | 167 cfs | → |
| Flint River Near Otisville | 298 cfs | → |
| Farmers Creek Near Lapeer | 28 cfs | → |
| Kearsley Creek Near Davison | 39 cfs | → |
| Cass River At Frankenmuth | 318 cfs | → |
| Flint River Near Flint | 500 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Tau Beta Dam.
Boat launches
- Holloway Reservoir, 2000 Acres, Lapeer County
- Long Lake, 204 Acres, Lapeer County
- Lake Nepessing, 414 Acres, Lapeer County
- Buell Lake, Genesee County
- Mott Lake -E, 650 Acres, Genesee County
- Blue Gill Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Otter Lake Park
- Wolverine
- Arthur Latham Park
- Old Family Camp Site - Not Rentable
- Metamora - Hadley Rec Area
- Elliott Family Camp - 17 Rv Sites
Fishing spots
Track Tau Beta 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 Tau Beta Dam
Where does the data for Tau Beta 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 Tau Beta Dam.