Lake Austin Dam dam
Lake Austin Dam
Lake Austin Dam, located in Hammondsville, Ohio, is a privately owned earth dam that was completed in 1947 for the primary purpose of recreation. With a height of 34 feet and a length of 550 feet, the dam holds back the waters of the Town Fork river, creating a surface area of 66 acres and a normal storage capacity of 210 acre-feet. The dam has a high hazard potential but is currently in satisfactory condition, as assessed during its last inspection in June 2019.
Managed by the Department of Natural Resources in Ohio, Lake Austin Dam is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The dam provides vital water storage for the area, with a maximum storage capacity of 537 acre-feet and a drainage area of 19.24 square miles. Despite its age, the dam has undergone no significant modifications in recent years and does not have any associated locks or spillways.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Lake Austin Dam serves as a picturesque recreational spot while also playing a crucial role in water management and flood control for the region. With its historical significance and ongoing maintenance, the dam stands as a testament to effective infrastructure management in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Austin Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Creek Near Hammondsville Oh | 82 cfs | → |
| Kings Creek At Weirton | 22 cfs | → |
| Little Beaver Creek Near East Liverpool Oh | 452 cfs | → |
| Short Creek Near Dillonvale Oh | 88 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek At Moffatts Mill | 82 cfs | → |
| Mcguire Creek Near Leesville Oh | 41 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Austin Dam.
Boat launches
- Newburg Landing
- Jim Kenney Park
- Ohioville Borough
- Raccoon State Park
- Tappan Park Launch Ramp
- Monaca Access
Campgrounds
- Jefferson Lake State Park
- Tomlinson Run State Park
- Raccoon Creek State Park
- Beaver Creek State Park
- Petersburg Boat Landing
- Harrison Hills Campground
Fishing spots
Track Lake Austin 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 Austin Dam
Where does the data for Lake Austin 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 Lake Austin Dam.