John C Smith dam
John C Smith
John C Smith is a vital water supply dam located in Bedford Township, Pennsylvania. Built in 1932, this Earth type dam stands at a height of 59 feet and spans 900 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 166 acre-feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of water supply, supporting the local community with a normal storage capacity of 138 acre-feet.
Despite its importance for water resource management, John C Smith is currently assessed as being in poor condition with a high hazard potential. The dam is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure compliance with safety standards. However, with its last inspection conducted in April 2020, there is a need for ongoing maintenance and potential risk management measures to address its current condition.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, John C Smith presents a case study for the intersection of infrastructure, environmental protection, and community resilience. As efforts continue to safeguard this critical water supply source, there is a call for increased awareness and action to address the challenges facing aging dams like John C Smith in order to ensure the sustainability and safety of our water resources in the face of a changing climate.
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 John C Smith -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Raystown Branch Juniata River At Wolfsburg | 920 cfs | → |
| Dunning Creek At Belden | 48 cfs | → |
| Wills Creek Below Hyndman | 46 cfs | → |
| Raystown Branch Juniata River At Saxton | 222 cfs | → |
| Tonoloway Creek Near Needmore | 3 cfs | → |
| Stonycreek River At Ferndale | 316 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near John C Smith.
Boat launches
- Fort Bedford Museum
- #2 Picnic Area Access
- Kegg Run Launch Area
- Colvin Access
- Woy Bridge Campground
- Warriors Path State Park
Campgrounds
- Shawnee State Park
- Shellbark Campground
- Organized Group Tenting
- Blue Knob State Park
- Rocky Gap State Park
- Quemahoning Family Rec Area
Fishing spots
- Flintstone Creek
- Lake Habeeb
- Evitts Creek
- Sideling Hill Creek Put And Take Area
- Evitts Creek Ponds
- Jennings Run
Track John C Smith 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 John C Smith
Where does the data for John C Smith 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 John C Smith.