Big Piney dam
Big Piney
Big Piney is a privately owned dam located in Hickman, Tennessee, near the city of Nunnelly. Constructed in 1990, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 38.7 feet with a hydraulic height of 33.6 feet, impounding a maximum storage of 83 acre-feet of water from the TRIBBEAVER CREEK. The dam boasts a surface area of 4.8 acres and serves the important function of flood control in the region.
Managed by the Tennessee Safe Dams Program, Big Piney is classified as a significant hazard potential dam with a satisfactory condition assessment as of the last inspection in February 2020. With a moderate risk rating, the dam has an inspection frequency of 2 years to ensure its continued safety and functionality. Despite being uncontrolled, the dam's spillway has a width of 0 feet and is designed to handle potential overflow events effectively.
Big Piney plays a crucial role in water resource management in the area, providing essential flood protection and storage capacity for the surrounding community. As a key component of Tennessee's dam infrastructure, the dam is closely monitored and regulated to ensure its continued ability to safeguard the region from potential water-related risks.
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 Big Piney -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Piney River At Vernon | 81 cfs | → |
| Duck River At Hwy 100 At Centerville | 555 cfs | → |
| Duck River Above Hurricane Mills | 765 cfs | → |
| Buffalo River Below Lobelville | 450 cfs | → |
| Copperas Branch Near Kingfield | 1 cfs | → |
| Harpeth River Near Kingston Springs | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Big Piney.
Boat launches
- Willie Shanes Road 115, Hickman County
- Gaynor Slough Boat Ramp
- Humphreys County
- Gladden Road Perry County
- New Johnsonville Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Woodland Shelter
- Montgomery Bell State Park
- Wildcat Shelter
- Tennessee Highway 50 Bicycle-Only Campground, At Milepost 408
- Camp Isengard
- Meriwether Lewis Campground
Track Big Piney 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 Big Piney
Where does the data for Big Piney 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.