Milky Way dam
Milky Way
Milky Way, located in Giles, Tennessee, is a privately owned dam regulated by the Tennessee Safe Dams Program. Built in 1965, this earth dam sits on TribRicHLand Creek with a hydraulic height of 25.4 feet and a structural height of 27.9 feet. With a storage capacity of 59 acre-feet and a surface area of 4.6 acres, Milky Way serves as a vital water resource for the surrounding area.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential, Milky Way has a moderate risk assessment rating. The dam has not been rated for its condition assessment, but it undergoes inspections every three years to ensure its integrity. With no emergency action plan in place and no inundation maps prepared, there may be room for improvement in terms of emergency preparedness and risk management for this important water structure.
While Milky Way currently meets regulatory requirements and is in operation, there is potential for enhancing its risk management measures and emergency preparedness. As a key component of the water infrastructure in the area, ensuring the safety and stability of Milky Way is crucial for both water resource management and climate resilience efforts in Giles, Tennessee.
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 Milky Way -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Fountain Creek Near Fountain Heights | 3 cfs | → |
| Duck River At Columbia | 237 cfs | → |
| Elk River At Prospect | 729 cfs | → |
| Big Rock Cr At Double Bridges | 3 cfs | → |
| Duck River Above Milltown | 179 cfs | → |
| Cane Creek Near Howell | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Milky Way.
Boat launches
- Vales Mill Road 1300-1368, Pulaski
- Howards Bridge Boat Access
- Sowell Mill Pike 3181-3183, Columbia
- Iron Bridge Road 918, Columbia
- Riverside Drive 302, Columbia
- Veto Road 2156, Prospect
Campgrounds
- David Crockett State Park
- Campers Rv Park
- Henry Horton State Park
- Meriwether Lewis
- Meriwether Lewis Campground
- Laurel Hill Lake - Twra
Fishing spots
- Fayetteville Old Stone Bridge
- Brotherick Branch
- Tva Public Land
- Indiancamp Creek
- Madison County Lake
- Cypress Creek
Paddle runs
- The Henryville Bridge Crossing On County Road 6230 To Bethel Bridge On County Road 6174
- Bethel Bridge On County Road 6174 To Confluence With Duck River
More reservoirs
Track Milky Way 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 Milky Way
Where does the data for Milky Way 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 Milky Way.