Kunkels dam
Kunkels
Kunkels is a historic dam located in East Brunswick Township, Pennsylvania, on Pine Creek. Built in 1870 for recreation purposes, this earth dam stands at 21 feet high and stretches 434 feet long, with a storage capacity of 57 acre-feet. Despite its age, Kunkels has been regulated and monitored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring its safety and compliance with state standards.
However, recent inspections have revealed that Kunkels is in poor condition, with a significant hazard potential. With an inspection frequency of every two years, it is crucial that maintenance and repairs are conducted to address any safety concerns. The dam's emergency action plan is currently not prepared, raising concerns about its ability to handle potential risks and emergencies.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Kunkels serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and monitoring aging infrastructure to ensure public safety and environmental protection. As discussions around dam safety and resilience continue, Kunkels stands as a case study for the ongoing challenges and responsibilities associated with managing our water resources in a changing climate.
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 Kunkels -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Schuylkill River At Landingville | 209 cfs | → |
| Little Schuylkill River At Tamaqua | 41 cfs | → |
| Schuylkill River At Berne | 409 cfs | → |
| Maiden Creek Near Virginville | 62 cfs | → |
| Tulpehocken Creek Near Bernville | 73 cfs | → |
| Lehigh River At Lehighton | 792 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kunkels.
Boat launches
- Schuylkill River Trail West Brunswick Township
- Auburn Dam
- Locust Lake Boat Launch
- Tuscarora Lake Boat Launch
- Kaercher Creek
- Pottsville
Campgrounds
- Locust Lake State Park
- Blue Rocks
- Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation
- Multiple Forest Campsites With Fire Rings
- Campsite With View
- Maunch Chunck Lake County Park
More reservoirs
Track Kunkels 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 Kunkels
Where does the data for Kunkels 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 Kunkels.