Kunick Dam; Bernard 1 dam
Kunick Dam; Bernard 1
Kunick Dam, also known as Bernard 1 or the Downstream Dam, is a private earth dam located in Golden Valley, North Dakota. Built in 1975 by the USDA NRCS, this dam serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock watering, and creating a small fish pond. With a dam height of 20 feet and a length of 450 feet, Kunick Dam has a storage capacity of 106.7 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 9 acres.
Managed by the North Dakota State Water Commission, Kunick Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities. The dam has a spillway width of 105 feet and is classified as having a low hazard potential with a moderate risk rating of 3. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently rated as 'Not Rated', suggesting that further evaluation and maintenance may be needed to ensure its safety and functionality in the long term.
Situated on Elk Creek-TR, Kunick Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region. Its presence not only provides essential services for local agriculture and fire protection but also contributes to the ecological diversity by creating a habitat for small fish species. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the design, purpose, and management of dams like Kunick Dam is vital for ensuring sustainable water use and environmental conservation in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Kunick Dam; Bernard 1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Creek Nr Trotters | 2 cfs | → |
| Little Missouri River At Medora | 43 cfs | → |
| Deep Creek Nr Amidon | 0 cfs | → |
| Green River Nr New Hradec | 2 cfs | → |
| Yellowstone River At Glendive Mt | 9,900 cfs | → |
| Heart River Nr South Heart | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kunick Dam; Bernard 1.
Campgrounds
- Buffalo Gap
- Buffalo Gap Campground
- Wannagan
- Wannagan Campground
- Visitors Center - Beach
- Roundup Horse Group Campground
Paddle runs
- Southern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The South Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Southern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park To Northern Boundary Of The Elkhorn Unit Of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Track Kunick Dam; Bernard 1 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 Kunick Dam; Bernard 1
Where does the data for Kunick Dam; Bernard 1 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 Kunick Dam; Bernard 1.