Dick Nichols Park Dam dam
Dick Nichols Park Dam
Dick Nichols Park Dam in Austin, Texas, stands as a vital structure in the city's efforts towards flood risk reduction. Completed in 1994 by the City of Austin, this earth dam on Kincheon Branch serves both practical and recreational purposes. With a height of 20.5 feet and a hydraulic height of 22 feet, the dam spans 1450 feet and provides a storage capacity of 178 acre-feet.
Despite its fair condition assessment in 2014, the dam continues to be regulated, inspected, and enforced by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to ensure public safety. This uncontrolled spillway dam, with two outlet gates, is designed to handle a maximum discharge of 7099 cubic feet per second. The risk assessment for Dick Nichols Park Dam indicates a moderate risk level, emphasizing the importance of ongoing maintenance and monitoring.
As a key asset in Austin's water resource management, Dick Nichols Park Dam not only safeguards against flooding but also offers a space for recreational activities. With its strategic location and design, this dam exemplifies the intersection of infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and community engagement in ensuring a sustainable future for the city.
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 Dick Nichols Park Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kincheon Br At William Cannon Blvd | · | → |
| Williamson Ck At Oak Hill | · | → |
| Slaughter Ck At Fm 1826 Nr Austin | · | → |
| Williamson Ck At Manchaca Rd | 1 cfs | → |
| Slaughter Ck At Fm 2304 Nr Austin | 0 cfs | → |
| Barton Ck At Loop 360 | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dick Nichols Park Dam.
Boat launches
- Ann And Roy Butler Hike And Bike Trail, Austin
- Redbud Trail, Austin
- Festival Beach Road, Austin
- South Pleasant Valley Road 1-79, Austin
- South Quinlan Park Road 1501, Austin
- Greenshores Drive 6921, Travis County
Campgrounds
- Emma Long Metropolitan Park
- Mckinney Falls State Park
- Camp Mabry Military
- Arkansas Bend - Lake Travis
- Cypress Creek - Lake Travis
- Sandy Creek - Lake Travis
Fishing spots
Track Dick Nichols Park Dam 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 Dick Nichols Park Dam
Where does the data for Dick Nichols Park Dam 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 Not Available 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 Dick Nichols Park Dam.