Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment dam
Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment
Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment, located in Adams Township, Butler, Pennsylvania, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1994 for flood risk reduction along TR Breakneck Creek. With a height of 16 feet and a length of 700 feet, this dam provides a storage capacity of 85.6 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 29 feet and a surface area of 7 acres. The dam is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential, Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment has not been rated for its condition assessment. The last inspection was conducted in June 2018, with a frequency of every 5 years. While an emergency action plan (EAP) has not been prepared or updated, the dam meets state guidelines. With no inundation maps or risk assessments available, the dam's risk management measures and potential hazards remain unspecified. Overall, Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment serves as a critical infrastructure for flood risk reduction in the region, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued safety and effectiveness.
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 Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Pine Creek Near Etna | 3 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Sewickley | 23,400 cfs | → |
| Connoquenessing Creek Near Zelienople | 211 cfs | → |
| Beaver River At Beaver Falls | 3,380 cfs | → |
| Allegheny River At Natrona | 16,400 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek At Moffatts Mill | 77 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment.
Boat launches
- North Park Boat Launch
- Glade Run Access
- Jackson Street 104, Harmony
- Hereford Manor-Closed-Public Access Prohibited
- B &Amp; L Marina
- Kilbuck Access
Campgrounds
- Harts Content Campground
- Montour Trail - Boggs Trailhead Campsite
- Raccoon Creek State Park
- Burnt Ridge Campground
- Crooked Creek Recreation Area
- Tomlinson Run State Park
Paddle runs
Track Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment 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 Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment
Where does the data for Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment 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 Low 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 Orchard Course No. 2 Impoundment.