Cowan Lake Dam dam
Cowan Lake Dam
Cowan Lake Dam, located in Clarksville, Ohio, along Cowan Creek, is a significant structure managed by the state's Department of Natural Resources. Built in 1947, this earth dam stands at a height of 62.5 feet and spans 860 feet in length, serving primarily for recreational purposes with a storage capacity of 24,974 acre-feet. However, recent assessments have deemed the dam to be in poor condition with a high hazard potential, prompting a heightened inspection frequency of every 5 years.
Despite its age and condition, Cowan Lake Dam remains a popular destination for water resource and climate enthusiasts, offering a surface area of 670 acres and a maximum discharge capacity of 35,900 cubic feet per second. The dam's location within the Huntington District and its close proximity to various water bodies make it an ideal spot for outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, and wildlife observation. However, the dam's poor condition raises concerns about its long-term viability and the need for potential risk management measures to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
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 Cowan Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| O'Bannon Creek Near Loveland Oh | 10 cfs | → |
| Massies Creek At Wilberforce Oh | 46 cfs | → |
| Holes Creek Near Kettering Oh | 11 cfs | → |
| Great Miami River At Franklin Oh | 1,910 cfs | → |
| East Fork Little Miami River At Williamsburg Oh | 41 cfs | → |
| East Fork Little Miami River At Perintown Oh | 60 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cowan Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Caesar Creek Wellman Meadows Boat Ramp
- Caesars Creek North Pool Boat Ramp
- Caesars Creek Furnas Shores Boat Ramp
- Caesar Creek State Park - Campground Ramp
- Caesars Creek Haines Boat Ramp
- Ute Trail New Jasper Township
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Cowan Lake 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 Cowan Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cowan Lake 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 Cowan Lake Dam.