Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1) dam
Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1)
Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1) is a federal-owned dam located in Lafayette, Mississippi, near the city of Oxford. Built in 1962 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 38 feet and spans 1500 feet in length across Puskus Creek. Its primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with a storage capacity of 5762 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 1516 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Forest Service, Puskus Lake Dam is regulated by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, with state inspections and enforcement ensuring its safety and compliance. Despite its low hazard potential, a very high risk assessment rating indicates the need for active risk management measures. The dam features a controlled spillway with slide gates for water release, and its condition assessment is currently not rated, with inspections conducted every 10 years.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts will appreciate the engineering and operational details of Puskus Lake Dam, as well as its role in mitigating flood risks in the region. The dam's location in a scenic area with a drainage area of 16 square miles adds to its significance in the local ecosystem. With a focus on safety and risk management, this dam represents a critical infrastructure for water resource management in Mississippi, ensuring the protection of surrounding communities from potential flooding events.
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 Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Tallahatchie River At Etta | 749 cfs | → |
| Yocona River Nr Oxford | 476 cfs | → |
| Otoucalofa Creek Canal Nr Water Valley | 25 cfs | → |
| Hotopha Creek Nr Batesville | 13 cfs | → |
| Skuna River At Bruce | 290 cfs | → |
| Coldwater River Nr Olive Branch | 799 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1).
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Track Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1) 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 Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1)
Where does the data for Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1) 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 Puskus Lake Dam (Lt 14-A1).