Thornton Creek Dam dam
Thornton Creek Dam
Thornton Creek Dam, also known as Thornton's Creek Dam, is a significant structure located in Harnett, North Carolina. Completed in 2006, this earth dam serves as a Fish and Wildlife Pond, with a primary purpose of providing habitat for local wildlife and recreational opportunities for visitors. With a structural height of 14.5 feet and a length of 775 feet, Thornton Creek Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area, particularly in relation to the flow of water from the Upstream Tributaries (UT) to Thornton's Creek.
Despite not being federally owned or regulated, Thornton Creek Dam poses a significant hazard potential and is classified as significant in terms of risk. The condition assessment of the dam is currently not rated, indicating a need for further evaluation and monitoring. While the dam does not have a designated Emergency Action Plan (EAP) or updated contact information, its importance in supporting local ecosystems and recreational activities underscores the need for ongoing attention and maintenance to ensure its continued safety and functionality. Enthusiasts interested in water resources and climate change will find Thornton Creek Dam to be a fascinating case study in the intersection of infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and risk management.
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 Thornton Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Fear River At Lillington | 554 cfs | → |
| Middle Creek Near Clayton | 8 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Nr Corinth | 7 cfs | → |
| Swift Creek Near Mccullars Crossroads | 13 cfs | → |
| Swift Creek Near Apex | 0 cfs | → |
| Neuse River Near Clayton | 238 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thornton Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Wheeler Boat Ramp
- Bartley Holleman Road 3519-3621, New Hill
- Crosspoint Road 388, New Hill
- Buffalo Creek Greenway Smithfield
- Highway 42 1-199, Sanford
- Carolina Way 956, Harnett County
Campgrounds
- Smith Lake Army Rv Military - Ft Bragg
- San Lee County Park
- Rvacation Campground
- Poplar Point State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Crosswinds State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- William B. Umstead State Park
Fishing spots
Track Thornton Creek 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 Thornton Creek Dam
Where does the data for Thornton Creek 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 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 Thornton Creek Dam.