C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam dam
C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam
C.W. Bill Young Lock and Dam, located on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania, serves a primary purpose of navigation and was completed in 1934 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. This gravity dam is 36 feet high with a length of 1550 feet, providing storage of up to 16800 acre-feet of water. The dam features a multi-arch core type and an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 1436 feet.
Despite being characterized as having a moderate risk of failure due to erosion around the lock walls, the dam has operated without incident for over 80 years. To mitigate this risk, the US Army Corps of Engineers regularly conducts emergency exercises, updates their action plan, and monitors river levels to ensure the safety of the dam and surrounding areas. In the event of a failure, downstream flooding is not expected due to the dam's relatively short height and location within the river banks.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts can stay informed about the operations and risk management measures of C.W. Bill Young Lock and Dam by accessing river level information and forecasts through the provided link. The dam plays a vital role in supporting navigation on the Allegheny River, and efforts are continuously made to ensure its safe and reliable operation for the benefit of the regional economy and recreation activities.
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 C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Pine Creek Near Etna | 3 cfs | → |
| Allegheny River At Natrona | 16,400 cfs | → |
| Buffalo Creek Near Freeport | 323 cfs | → |
| Kiskiminetas River At Vandergrift | 1,650 cfs | → |
| Chartiers Creek At Carnegie | 147 cfs | → |
| Monongahela River At Elizabeth | 21,100 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam.
Track C.W. Bill Young Lock And 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 C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam
Where does the data for C.W. Bill Young Lock And 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 C.W. Bill Young Lock And Dam.