Mountain Creek Lake Dam dam
Mountain Creek Lake Dam
Mountain Creek Lake Dam in Vernon Township, New Jersey, is a privately owned earth dam that serves primarily for recreation purposes. Completed in 1984, this dam stands at a height of 12 feet and spans a length of 260 feet, holding a normal storage capacity of 100 acre-feet. Situated on Black Creek-TR, the dam is regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and integrity.
Despite its recreational focus, Mountain Creek Lake Dam has a high hazard potential and is currently assessed to be in poor condition as of August 2020. With an inspection frequency of every two years, the dam's emergency action plan was last revised in June 2017. While there are no associated structures or outlet gates, the dam's location in Sussex County, New Jersey, presents unique challenges for risk management and mitigation strategies. It is important for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor the ongoing maintenance and regulatory oversight of this critical infrastructure to prevent any potential hazards.
As part of the New York District, Mountain Creek Lake Dam plays a crucial role in water management for the surrounding area, with a drainage area of 0.1 square miles. The dam's proximity to Congressional District 05, represented by Josh S. Gottheimer, underscores the importance of federal and state collaboration in ensuring the safety and functionality of this vital structure. Overall, Mountain Creek Lake Dam serves as a focal point for both recreational activities and water resource management, highlighting the intersection of human development and environmental stewardship in the face of climate change challenges.
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 Mountain Creek Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wanaque River At Awosting Nj | 14 cfs | → |
| West Brook Near Wanaque Nj | 8 cfs | → |
| Pequannock R At Macopin Intake Dam Nj | 17 cfs | → |
| Eb Paulins Kill Near Lafayette Nj | 12 cfs | → |
| Ringwood Creek Near Wanaque Nj | 11 cfs | → |
| Wanaque R At Wanaque Nj | 14 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mountain Creek Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Winding Waters Trail Town Of Warwick
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Blue Lake Road Town Of Warwick
- Laurel Meadow Drive Town Of Warwick
- Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Ringwood
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
Track Mountain Creek Lake 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 Mountain Creek Lake Dam
Where does the data for Mountain Creek Lake 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 High 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 Mountain Creek Lake Dam.