Oxford Commons Dam dam
Oxford Commons Dam
The Oxford Commons Dam, located in Durham, North Carolina, serves as a recreational structure along the Eno River-Tr. Built in 1990, this private-owned Earth dam stands at a structural height of 21 feet, with a hydraulic height of 16 feet and a maximum storage capacity of 24 acre-feet. Despite its primary purpose for recreation, the dam holds a high hazard potential and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its satisfactory condition.
Owned by a private entity, the Oxford Commons Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. The dam's last inspection in February 2021 deemed its condition as satisfactory, with an inspection frequency of every 2 years. While no emergency action plan or inundation maps have been reported, the dam's risk assessment and management measures remain undisclosed.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Oxford Commons Dam presents an intriguing case study on the management of privately-owned dams for recreational purposes. With its location in a high-risk area, the dam's structural integrity and regulatory oversight play crucial roles in safeguarding both the environment and public safety. As the dam continues to be monitored and assessed, its significance in the broader context of water resource management and climate resilience becomes increasingly apparent.
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 Oxford Commons Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Eno River Near Durham | 13 cfs | → |
| Ellerbe Creek Near Gorman | 12 cfs | → |
| Little R Bl Little R Trib At Fairntosh | 49 cfs | → |
| Flat River Trib Nr Willardville | 0 cfs | → |
| Little River At Sr1461 Near Orange Factory | 2 cfs | → |
| Mountain Creek At Sr1617 Nr Bahama | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Oxford Commons Dam.
Boat launches
- Rodolphe Street 6122, Durham
- Hickory Hill Boat Ramp
- Baptist Route 4398, Durham County
- Ledge Rock Boat Ramp, Creedmoor
- Durham County
- Creedmoor Road 13900, Town Of Wake Forest
Campgrounds
- Redwood Campsite
- Rolling View - Falls Lake
- Holly Point - Falls Lake
- Two Oaks Campground
- Shortleaf Pine Campground
- Blue Heron Campground
Track Oxford Commons 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 Oxford Commons Dam
Where does the data for Oxford Commons 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 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 Oxford Commons Dam.