Walden Woods dam
Walden Woods
Walden Woods, located in North Fayette Township, Pennsylvania, is a local government-owned dam that plays a vital role in flood risk reduction along the TR MONTOUR RUN river. Completed in the year 2000, this earth dam stands at a height of 17 feet and spans 200 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 16.3 acre-feet and a drainage area of 0.26 square miles, Walden Woods serves as a crucial resource for managing water flow and mitigating potential flooding in the surrounding area.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Walden Woods is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its structural integrity and operational efficiency. With a high hazard potential due to its location and purpose, this dam is regularly assessed to maintain its satisfactory condition. Despite its critical role in flood risk reduction, Walden Woods does not have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place, indicating potential areas for improvement in emergency preparedness and risk management measures.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Walden Woods presents an intriguing case study in dam infrastructure and water management. Its significance in flood control, coupled with its location in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, highlights the intersection of environmental protection, public safety, and infrastructure development. As efforts to address climate change intensify, the management and maintenance of structures like Walden Woods will be crucial in adapting to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and ensuring the resilience of communities against natural disasters.
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 Walden Woods -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chartiers Creek At Carnegie | 147 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Sewickley | 23,400 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek At Moffatts Mill | 77 cfs | → |
| Little Pine Creek Near Etna | 3 cfs | → |
| Kings Creek At Weirton | 21 cfs | → |
| Monongahela River At Elizabeth | 21,100 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Walden Woods.
Track Walden Woods 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 Walden Woods
Where does the data for Walden Woods 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 Walden Woods.