Forty Acre Pond Dam dam
Forty Acre Pond Dam
Located in St. Marys, Ohio, the Forty Acre Pond Dam stands as a historic structure completed in 1840 along the Miami & Erie Canal. With a primary purpose of recreation, this earth dam spans 11,100 feet in length and reaches a height of 15 feet, providing a storage capacity of 492.1 acre-feet. Despite its age, the dam remains state-regulated and undergoes regular inspections by the Department of Natural Resources to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations.
The dam's condition is reported as poor, with a low hazard potential, signaling a need for maintenance and potential upgrades to enhance its resilience. The last inspection in October 2019 highlighted the dam's deteriorating condition, prompting concerns about its long-term stability. As a popular recreational site, preserving the Forty Acre Pond Dam is crucial not only for water resource management but also for the safety and enjoyment of visitors who frequent the area for various outdoor activities.
As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the Forty Acre Pond Dam serves as a reminder of the importance of proactive maintenance and monitoring in ensuring the resilience of our dams and reservoirs. With its rich history and significant recreational value, efforts to improve the dam's condition and enhance its safety measures are essential to safeguarding both the environment and the community's well-being.
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 Forty Acre Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Auglaize River Near Kossuth Oh | 16 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Near Celina Oh | 42 cfs | → |
| Loramie Creek Near Fort Loramie Oh | 47 cfs | → |
| St. Marys River At Rockford Oh | 101 cfs | → |
| Ottawa River At Lima Oh | 18 cfs | → |
| Loramie Creek Near Newport Oh | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Forty Acre Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Lutman Road Launch Ramp
- Lakeview Harbor Boat Ramp
- Indian Lake State Park - Campground Ramp
- Chippewa Marina
- Long Island Point
- Moundwood Boat Ramp
Track Forty Acre Pond 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 Forty Acre Pond Dam
Where does the data for Forty Acre Pond 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 Low 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 Forty Acre Pond Dam.