Flaherty Park Lower Dam dam
Flaherty Park Lower Dam
Flaherty Park Lower Dam, located in Wake County, North Carolina, serves as a vital recreational resource for the community. Situated on a tributary to Smith Creek, this Earth dam is known for its significant hazard potential, but its condition remains unrated. While the dam's purpose primarily revolves around recreation, its exact specifications such as height, length, and storage capacity are not documented. Despite its lack of state regulation, the dam undergoes regular inspections to ensure public safety.
Owned by an unspecified entity and not federally regulated, Flaherty Park Lower Dam stands as a reminder of the importance of proper dam management. With a hazard potential categorized as significant, the dam's emergency action plan status and risk management measures are unknown, leaving room for improvement in its overall safety protocols. However, the dam's role in providing recreational opportunities highlights the need for continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure its longevity and effectiveness.
In the absence of detailed information regarding Flaherty Park Lower Dam's structure and operational details, its significance in the local landscape cannot be understated. As a focal point for outdoor activities and leisure, the dam's value to the community underscores the importance of balancing recreational benefits with necessary safety measures. With ongoing inspections and a commitment to public safety, Flaherty Park Lower Dam remains a vital resource for water resource and climate enthusiasts in Wake County.
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 Flaherty Park Lower Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Neuse River Near Falls | 123 cfs | → |
| Tar R At Us 401 At Louisburg | 18 cfs | → |
| Marsh C Nr New Hope | 1 cfs | → |
| Crabtree Creek At Us 1 At Raleigh | 17 cfs | → |
| Crabtree Creek At Hwy 70 At Raleigh | 13 cfs | → |
| Tar River Near Tar River | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Flaherty Park Lower Dam.
Boat launches
- Neuse River Trail Raleigh
- Barton's Creek Boat Ramp
- Falls Lake Trail Wake County
- Duck Cove Trail Wake County
- Creedmoor Road 13900, Town Of Wake Forest
- Durham County
Campgrounds
- Durant Nature Park
- Shoreline Campground
- Overlook Campground
- Shortleaf Pine Campground
- Bootleg Point Campground
- Osprey Nest Campground
Track Flaherty Park Lower 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 Flaherty Park Lower Dam
Where does the data for Flaherty Park Lower 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 Significant 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 Flaherty Park Lower Dam.