Smith dam
Smith
Smith is a privately-owned dam located in Cumberland, Tennessee, along the Burnt Cabin Branch river. Built in 1972, this earth dam serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, small fish pond, and recreation. With a hydraulic height of 18.9 feet and a structural height of 21.5 feet, Smith has a normal storage capacity of 56 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 76 acre-feet over a surface area of 7.4 acres.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment, Smith has not been rated for its condition assessment. The dam does not have any outlet gates and features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 0 feet. The last inspection date took place in August 2017, with an inspection frequency of every 5 years. While the dam is not under state regulation, it is not permitted, inspected, or enforced by state agencies.
Smith's location within the Nashville District and its association with the primary purpose of fire protection make it a noteworthy structure for water resource and climate enthusiasts. The dam's moderate risk assessment and lack of state regulation highlight the importance of monitoring and maintaining such infrastructure to ensure the safety and sustainability of water resources in the area.
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 Smith -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Daddys Creek Near Hebbertsburg | 12 cfs | → |
| Sewee Creek Near Decatur | 23 cfs | → |
| Calfkiller River At Hwy 111 Below Sparta | 282 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Lilly Bridge Near Lancing | 10 cfs | → |
| Obed River Near Lancing | 599 cfs | → |
| Falling Water River Near Cookeville | 24 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Smith.
Boat launches
- Meigs County
- Monterey Highway 1603-1651, Sparta
- Blythes Ferry Road 5673, Dayton
- Blythe Ferry Road 6699, Meigs County
- Tn 58 3829, Meigs County
Campgrounds
- Backcountry Camp 1
- Backcountry Camp 3
- Backcountry Camp 2
- Sale Creek - Chickamauga Lake
- Rock Creek Camground
Paddle runs
- Mill Site To Center Bridge
- I-40 Bridge To Western Boundary Of Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, At Adams Bridge
- Center Bridge To Cumberland-Morgan County Line
- U.S. 127 Bridge To Morgan County Line
- Apalachia Powerhouse (Rm 53.5) To Us411 Bridge (Rm 43.0)
- Tn/Nc State Line (Rm 48.0) To Tn360 Bridge (Rm 30.0)
More reservoirs
Track 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 Smith
Where does the data for 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 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 Smith.