Cresswell Lower dam
Cresswell Lower
Cresswell Lower is a privately owned earth dam located in Mercer, Pennsylvania, within Sandy Creek Township. Built in 2002, this dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, with a storage capacity of 15 acre-feet and a surface area of 2.4 acres. Situated on TR Morrison Run, this dam stands at a height of 15 feet and is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Despite being designed for recreation, Cresswell Lower poses a significant hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition assessment. The last inspection conducted in October 2017 revealed an inspection frequency of 2 and highlighted the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, its emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and risk management measures remain unknown.
As a water resource and climate enthusiast, the data on Cresswell Lower's dam structure offers insight into the complexities of managing and regulating dams for recreational use. The significant hazard potential calls for increased attention to its maintenance and emergency preparedness, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Cresswell Lower -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Shenango River At Greenville | 116 cfs | → |
| Shenango River Near Transfer | 438 cfs | → |
| Shenango River At Pymatuning Dam | 201 cfs | → |
| French Creek At Meadville | 1,310 cfs | → |
| French Creek At Utica | 1,670 cfs | → |
| Shenango River At Sharpsville | 480 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cresswell Lower.
Boat launches
- Sheakleyville Road - Gamelands 270
- Long Boom - Gamelands 270
- Lake Wilhelm - Old Launch #1
- Launch #3
- Marina
- Launch #4
Campgrounds
- Custaloga Town Scout Reservation
- Jamestown Campground
- Jamestown - Pymatuning State Park
- Shenango
- Pymatuning State Park
- Colonel Crawford County Park
Paddle runs
Track Cresswell Lower 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 Cresswell Lower
Where does the data for Cresswell Lower 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 Cresswell Lower.