Rice Pond Dam dam
Rice Pond Dam
Rice Pond Dam, located in Lester, Ohio, is a privately owned earth dam primarily used for recreational purposes. With a height of 31.3 feet and a length of 210 feet, the dam provides a storage capacity of 41 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 4 acres. It is situated on a tributary to Mallet Creek in Medina County, Ohio, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources for regulation, inspection, and enforcement.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Rice Pond Dam undergoes regular inspections every five years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The last inspection conducted in September 2018 confirmed its overall soundness. While the dam does not have a spillway, its maximum discharge capacity is 74 cubic feet per second, serving as a crucial component in managing water resources in the area. Enthusiasts interested in water resource management and climate-related issues would find Rice Pond Dam an intriguing case study of a privately owned dam contributing to both recreation and environmental conservation efforts in Ohio.
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 Rice Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Creek At Miller Rd At Sterling Oh | 29 cfs | → |
| East Branch Rocky River Near Strongsville Oh | 30 cfs | → |
| West Branch Rocky River At West View Oh | 79 cfs | → |
| Baker Creek At Olmstead Falls Oh | 4 cfs | → |
| Unnamed Tributary To W B Rocky R Near Berea Oh | 0 cfs | → |
| Plum Creek Near Olmsted Falls Oh | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rice Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Chippewa Lake Boat Launch
- Portage Lakes State Park - Long Lake
- Portage Lakes State Park - North Reservoir
- Portage Lakes State Park - Turkeyfoot
- Old State Park
- New London Reservoir Park/Campground
Campgrounds
- Camp Christopher
- Portage Lakes State Park
- Freedom Valley Campground
- Silver Springs - Stow
- Towpath Campsite
Fishing spots
- East 72nd Street Fishing Area
- Aurora Pond
- Charles Mill Lake
- Deer Creek Reservoir
- Clear Fork Reservoir
- Berlin Lake
Paddle runs
Track Rice 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 Rice Pond Dam
Where does the data for Rice 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 Rice Pond Dam.