Percival Erickson Dam dam
Percival Erickson Dam
Percival Erickson Dam, located in Sutton, Nebraska, is a privately owned irrigation structure designed by the USDA NRCS with a height of 24 feet and a hydraulic height of 22 feet. Completed in 1974, this earth dam spans 580 feet across and stores a maximum of 314 acre-feet of water for agricultural purposes in the TR-School Creek watershed. The dam is regulated by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement requirements.
With a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment as of May 2019, Percival Erickson Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in Clay County, Nebraska. The dam covers a drainage area of 2.1 square miles and has a normal storage capacity of 116 acre-feet, providing essential irrigation water for local agricultural activities. Despite the absence of a spillway type specified, the dam has a maximum discharge capacity of 740 cubic feet per second, safeguarding against potential flooding events.
Operated by private owners, Percival Erickson Dam exemplifies the importance of local water resource management in sustaining agricultural productivity. As a key component of the irrigation infrastructure in the area, this dam showcases the collaborative efforts between private entities and governmental agencies like the NRCS and NE DNR to ensure the efficient and sustainable use of water resources in Nebraska. This structure serves as a vital resource for farmers and landowners in the region, highlighting the significance of proper dam maintenance and regulation in mitigating water-related risks and supporting agricultural livelihoods.
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 Percival Erickson Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Blue River Near Deweese | 54 cfs | → |
| Platte River Near Grand Island | 1,880 cfs | → |
| Warm Slough Nr Central City | · | → |
| West Fork Big Blue River Nr Dorchester | 177 cfs | → |
| Republican R Nr Hardy | 54 cfs | → |
| Courtland Canal At Nebraska-Kansas State Line | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Percival Erickson Dam.
Boat launches
- Pioneer Trails
- Lake Hastings
- Bruce L. Anderson Recreation Area
- Bruning Pit
- Mormon Island West Sra
- Liberty Cove Recreation Area
Track Percival Erickson 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 Percival Erickson Dam
Where does the data for Percival Erickson 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 Percival Erickson Dam.