Crooked Creek (Pa-488) dam
Crooked Creek (Pa-488)
Crooked Creek (Pa-488) is a vital flood risk reduction structure located in Sugar Grove Township, Mercer, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1994, this earth dam designed by the USDA NRCS stands at a height of 29 feet and spans a length of 8170 feet. With a storage capacity of 9525 acre-feet, the dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction, offering protection to the surrounding areas from potential inundation during heavy rainfall events.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Crooked Creek is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. Despite being classified as a high hazard potential structure, its condition is assessed as fair, with regular inspections to monitor its performance. This dam plays a critical role in safeguarding the community and infrastructure downstream, highlighting its importance in water resource management and climate adaptation efforts in the region.
With its strategic location and significant impact on flood control, Crooked Creek exemplifies the collaborative efforts between local government agencies, the USDA NRCS, and the Pennsylvania DEP in ensuring the safety and resilience of the surrounding areas. As a key component of the flood risk reduction system, this earth dam provides essential protection against potential disasters, demonstrating the proactive measures taken to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events and safeguard the community's well-being in the face of changing climate 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 Crooked Creek (Pa-488) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Shenango River At Greenville | 116 cfs | → |
| Shenango River At Pymatuning Dam | 201 cfs | → |
| Shenango River Near Transfer | 438 cfs | → |
| Shenango River At Sharpsville | 480 cfs | → |
| French Creek At Meadville | 1,310 cfs | → |
| Mosquito Creek Near Greene Center Oh | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crooked Creek (Pa-488).
Boat launches
- Jonestown Livery
- Reynolds Industrial Park Road Pymatuning Township
- Jamestown Livery
- Snodgrass Boat Ramp
- Sheakleyville Road - Gamelands 270
- 41 Bay
Track Crooked Creek (Pa-488) 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 Crooked Creek (Pa-488)
Where does the data for Crooked Creek (Pa-488) 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 Crooked Creek (Pa-488).