Pa-445 dam
Pa-445
Pa-445, located in Dreher Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania, is a crucial structure designed by the USDA NRCS for flood risk reduction along Green Creek. Completed in 1961, this Earth-type dam stands at a height of 31 feet with a length of 550 feet, providing storage of 408 acre-feet and serving a drainage area of 0.9 square miles. Despite its importance in mitigating flood hazards, Pa-445 has been assessed as having a poor condition and a high hazard potential.
Owned by the local government and regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Pa-445 is subject to state permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The dam's primary purpose remains flood risk reduction, highlighting its critical role in protecting the surrounding communities from potential disasters. With its location in a highly populated area and its poor condition assessment, there is an urgent need for maintenance and risk management measures to ensure the safety and effectiveness of Pa-445 in the face of increasing climate variability and water resource 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 Pa-445 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Swiftwater Creek At Swiftwater | 12 cfs | → |
| Lackawaxen River At Hawley | 350 cfs | → |
| Brodhead Creek Near Analomink | 76 cfs | → |
| Lackawanna River At Archbald | 167 cfs | → |
| Lackawanna R Bl Leggetts Creek At Scranton | 223 cfs | → |
| Lackawaxen River Near Honesdale | 230 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pa-445.
Boat launches
- Beechwood Area
- Bear Wallow Road - Observation Station
- Tobyhanna Lake
- Tobyhanna State Park
- Main Beach And Picnic Area
- Snow Shanty Boat Mooring
Campgrounds
- Ledgedale Rec Area
- Ironwood Point Rec Area - Ppl
- Wilson Campground
- Tobyhanna State Park
- Promised Land State Park
- Caffrey Rec Area - Ppl
More reservoirs
Track Pa-445 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 Pa-445
Where does the data for Pa-445 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 Pa-445.