Merriman dam
Merriman
Merriman is a private-owned dam located in Muddy Creek Township, Butler, Pennsylvania. Built in 1966, this earth-type dam stands at a height of 40 feet and spans 740 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 136 acre-feet. Situated on the TR Yellow Creek, Merriman primarily serves a recreational purpose, offering a surface area of 7 acres for outdoor activities.
Despite its recreational function, Merriman poses a high hazard potential, with a fair condition assessment as of the last inspection in November 2020. The dam falls under the regulatory jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, ensuring state permitting, inspection, and enforcement processes are in place. While the dam holds a normal storage capacity of 95 acre-feet, it also presents some level of risk requiring further assessment and potential risk management measures to be put in place.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Merriman presents an intriguing case study in dam infrastructure management and the intersection of recreational use with potential hazard risks. With its location in a picturesque setting in Pennsylvania, the dam's condition and regulatory oversight offer valuable insights into the complexities of maintaining and monitoring such critical water structures for both safety and sustainable use.
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 Merriman -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Muddy Creek Near Portersville | 69 cfs | → |
| Slippery Rock Creek At Wurtemburg | 534 cfs | → |
| Connoquenessing Creek Near Zelienople | 211 cfs | → |
| Beaver River At Wampum | 2,430 cfs | → |
| Beaver River At Beaver Falls | 3,380 cfs | → |
| Raccoon Creek At Moffatts Mill | 77 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Merriman.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
Track Merriman 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 Merriman
Where does the data for Merriman 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 Merriman.