Heald Dam dam
Heald Dam
Heald Dam, located in Dixon, Nebraska, is a privately owned structure designed by the USDA NRCS with state regulation from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. Completed in 1964, this earth dam stands at 27 feet tall and stretches 260 feet in length, serving primarily for flood risk reduction and other purposes. With a storage capacity of 63 acre-feet and a low hazard potential, Heald Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area.
Despite its important function, Heald Dam is currently assessed as being in poor condition, with its last inspection in April 2018. The dam's emergency action plan status and risk assessment are not readily available, posing potential concerns for its long-term maintenance and operation. Given its location along the TR-Missouri River and its critical role in flood mitigation, ensuring the timely upkeep and monitoring of Heald Dam is essential to safeguarding the surrounding communities and water resources.
As a key infrastructure in the region, Heald Dam's condition and regulatory oversight are crucial considerations for water resource and climate enthusiasts. With the involvement of multiple agencies and the dam's significant impact on flood risk reduction, stakeholders must prioritize the dam's maintenance and inspection to ensure its continued effectiveness and safety for the community and the environment.
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 Heald Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Vermillion River Nr Vermillion Sd | 83 cfs | → |
| Big Sioux River At Akron | 1,410 cfs | → |
| Perry Creek Near Milnerville | 25 cfs | → |
| Missouri River At Sioux City | 28,300 cfs | → |
| Floyd River At James | 846 cfs | → |
| Logan Creek At Wakefield | 159 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Heald Dam.
Track Heald 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 Heald Dam
Where does the data for Heald 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 Heald Dam.