Lake Lucern Dam dam
Lake Lucern Dam
Lake Lucern Dam, located in Stark County, Ohio, is a privately owned structure primarily used for recreation. Completed in 1927, this earth dam stands at a height of 10 feet and has a length of 375 feet, with a storage capacity of 3,214 acre-feet. The dam's purpose is to provide recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing in its 62-acre surface area, making it a popular destination for water enthusiasts in the Portage Lakes area.
Despite its recreational benefits, Lake Lucern Dam poses a significant hazard potential with a poor condition assessment as of 2015. The dam is inspected every five years, with the last inspection conducted in July 2020. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources regulates and enforces the dam's safety, ensuring that proper maintenance and emergency preparedness measures are in place. With a drainage area of 29.3 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 694 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow in Nimisila Creek.
While Lake Lucern Dam provides important recreational opportunities for the community, its condition assessment and hazard potential highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. As climate change impacts water resources, the dam's role in managing water flow and storage becomes increasingly vital. With proper regulatory oversight and risk management measures, Lake Lucern Dam can continue to serve as a valuable resource for water and climate enthusiasts alike.
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 Lake Lucern Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tuscarawas River Above Barberton Oh | 86 cfs | → |
| Tuscarawas River At Massillon Oh | 339 cfs | → |
| W Br Nimishillen Crk At Tuscarawas St At Canton Oh | 17 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Nimishillen Creek At Canton Oh | 34 cfs | → |
| Chippewa Creek At Miller Rd At Sterling Oh | 30 cfs | → |
| E Branch Nimishillen Crk At Trump Ave Nr Canton Oh | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Lucern Dam.
Boat launches
- Portage Lakes State Park - 2 Na
- Portage Lakes State Park - C 6
- Portage Lakes State Park - Cg
- Portage Lakes State Park - C 1
- Portage Lakes State Park - Turkeyfoot
- Old State Park
Campgrounds
- Portage Lakes State Park
- Towpath Campsite
- Camp Christopher
- Silver Springs - Stow
- Pride Valley Campgrounds
- Atwood Lake Campground (Main Gate)
Fishing spots
- Deer Creek Reservoir
- Berlin Lake
- Aurora Pond
- Charles Mill Lake
- East 72nd Street Fishing Area
- Clendening Lake
Paddle runs
Track Lake Lucern 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 Lake Lucern Dam
Where does the data for Lake Lucern 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 Significant 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 Lake Lucern Dam.