Lake Choctaw Dam dam
Lake Choctaw Dam
Lake Choctaw Dam in Lafayette, Ohio, stands as a testament to engineering excellence and environmental stewardship. Built in 1964 by the Ralph L Woolpert Co., Consulting Engineers, this private-owned earth dam on Deer Creek serves primarily for recreation, offering a serene retreat for water resource and climate enthusiasts. With a height of 42 feet and a length of 925 feet, the dam creates a reservoir with a storage capacity of 7,783 acre-feet and a surface area of 247 acres.
Managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the dam undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and functionality. The last assessment in October 2017 deemed the structure to be in satisfactory condition, despite its high hazard potential. In case of emergencies, an Emergency Action Plan is in place, with the most recent revision in June 2020. With its important role in flood control and water storage, Lake Choctaw Dam highlights the crucial intersection between infrastructure development and environmental conservation.
Situated in Madison County, Ohio, Lake Choctaw Dam not only provides a picturesque backdrop for outdoor activities but also serves as a vital component of the local ecosystem. With its strategic location along Deer Creek and a drainage area of 25.3 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and mitigating flood risks in the surrounding region. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the careful monitoring and maintenance of structures like Lake Choctaw Dam are essential to ensure sustainable water management practices for future generations.
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 Lake Choctaw Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Darby Creek At West Jefferson Oh | 92 cfs | → |
| Mad River At St Paris Pike At Eagle City Oh | 224 cfs | → |
| Hellbranch Run Near Harrisburg Oh | 5 cfs | → |
| Mad River Near Urbana Oh | 126 cfs | → |
| Deer Creek At Mount Sterling Oh | 66 cfs | → |
| Mad River Near Springfield Oh | 356 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Choctaw Dam.
Track Lake Choctaw 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 Lake Choctaw Dam
Where does the data for Lake Choctaw 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 Lake Choctaw Dam.