Falling Springs dam
Falling Springs
Falling Springs is a private dam located in Luzerne, Pennsylvania, along Falling Springs Creek. Built in 1905 for recreation purposes, this earth dam stands at a height of 61 feet and has a length of 1395 feet. With a storage capacity of 898 acre-feet, the dam serves as a picturesque spot for outdoor activities in Ransom Township.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Falling Springs is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations. Despite its significant hazard potential, the dam is currently in a satisfactory condition according to the last inspection in December 2018. The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and management measures are currently unknown, suggesting a need for further evaluation and preparation to mitigate potential risks.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Falling Springs offers a fascinating example of a historical dam with both recreational and regulatory significance. As a key feature along Falling Springs Creek, this dam provides not only storage capacity and flood protection but also opportunities for outdoor enjoyment in a scenic natural setting. With continued monitoring and maintenance, Falling Springs stands as a testament to the balance between human recreation and environmental stewardship in water resource 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 Falling Springs -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna River At Old Forge | 210 cfs | → |
| Lackawanna R Bl Leggetts Creek At Scranton | 137 cfs | → |
| Susquehanna River At Wilkes-Barre | 6,350 cfs | → |
| Tunkhannock Creek Near Tunkhannock | 110 cfs | → |
| Lackawanna River At Archbald | 102 cfs | → |
| Lehigh River At Stoddartsville | 94 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Falling Springs.
Boat launches
- Apple Tree Road
- Carverston Road-Francis Slocum State Park
- Fords Lake
- Whites Ferry
- Nesbit Park
- Lake Winola
Track Falling Springs 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 Falling Springs
Where does the data for Falling Springs 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 Falling Springs.