Mcmillen Dam dam
Mcmillen Dam
Mcmillen Dam, located in Cheyenne, Nebraska, near the city of Sidney, serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, and small fish pond management. This privately owned earth dam, completed in 1960, stands at a height of 16 feet and stretches 735 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 113.5 acre-feet and a surface area of 12.3 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Managed by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Mcmillen Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its structural integrity and safety. Despite having a low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2018 was deemed unsatisfactory, prompting regular inspections every five years. The dam's ability to control drainage and maintain water levels in the TR-Sidney Draw stream highlights its significance in mitigating potential flood risks and providing a sustainable water source for the local ecosystem.
As a part of the Omaha District and under the jurisdiction of Congressional District 03, Nebraska, Mcmillen Dam stands as a testament to the intersection of human engineering and natural resource management. With its historical relevance and ongoing maintenance, the dam symbolizes the delicate balance between harnessing water resources for human needs while safeguarding the environment and surrounding communities from potential risks associated with climate change and water scarcity.
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 Mcmillen Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Platte River Near Crook | 15 cfs | → |
| Lodgepole Creek At Bushnell | 1 cfs | → |
| S. Platte R. At Julesburg | -999 cfs | → |
| South Platte River At Cooper Bridge | 130 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mcmillen Dam.
Track Mcmillen 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 Mcmillen Dam
Where does the data for Mcmillen 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 Mcmillen Dam.