Spanish Flat Dam dam
Spanish Flat Dam
Spanish Flat Dam, located in Washoe County, Nevada, is a privately owned earth dam primarily used for irrigation purposes along Dry Valley Creek. With a hydraulic height of 20 feet and a structural height of 26 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 726 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 110 acres. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is rated as being in poor condition as of its last inspection in September 2019.
The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 20 feet and a slide (sluice gate) outlet gate. While it has not undergone any modifications in recent years, the dam is state-regulated, with the Nevada Department of Water Resources overseeing its permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The surrounding area has a drainage area of 6.3 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 195 cubic feet per second, making it an important resource for water management in the region.
In the event of an emergency, the dam's risk assessment is moderate, indicating a potential for some level of risk. While the dam does not currently have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place, it is crucial for stakeholders to ensure that proper risk management measures are implemented to address any potential safety concerns and protect the surrounding community and environment from any adverse impacts.
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 Spanish Flat Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Truckee R Nr Nixon | 537 cfs | → |
| N Truckee Drain At Spanish Springs Rd Nr Sparks Nv | 1 cfs | → |
| Truckee R At Reno | 426 cfs | → |
| N Truckee Drain At Kleppe Ln Nr Sparks | 108 cfs | → |
| Truckee River Nr Tracy | 861 cfs | → |
| Truckee R Nr Sparks | 405 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spanish Flat Dam.
Campgrounds
- Fort Sage Off Hwy Area Dispersed
- Big Cove Campground
- Big Cove Overflow
- Big Cove
- Chilcoot .
- Frenchman Lake Campground
Fishing spots
- Crystal Point Fishing Access
- Lake Davis
- Stampede Reservoir
- Antelope Creek
- Antelope Lake
- Martis Creek Lake
Paddle runs
- Frenchman Reservoir To Nf Boundary
- Sec 17, T25n, R14e To Confluence With Last Chance Creek
- Confluence With Squaw Queen Creek To Confluence With Red Clover Creek
- Headwaters To Trailhead
- Headwaters Se 1/4 Of Sec 10, T18, R15e To Stampede Reservoir
- Gold Lake Highway To Nf Boundary
Track Spanish Flat 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 Spanish Flat Dam
Where does the data for Spanish Flat 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 Spanish Flat Dam.