Burns Lake dam
Burns Lake
Burns Lake, located in Marshall, Tennessee, is a private fish and wildlife pond managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Built in 1965 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 19.7 feet and a structural height of 24.7 feet, serving primarily for fire protection and stock purposes in addition to its main function as a fish and wildlife habitat. With a storage capacity of 27 acre-feet and a surface area of 2 acres, Burns Lake plays a crucial role in the local ecosystem, supporting diverse aquatic wildlife in the South Fork Blue Creek watershed.
Despite being a privately owned structure, Burns Lake has a significant hazard potential due to its condition being unrated and its location in a moderate risk zone. The dam has not been inspected since August 2017, with a scheduled inspection frequency of every 5 years. Being unregulated by the state and lacking a formal emergency action plan, there are potential risks associated with the dam's operation and maintenance. With the nearest city being Blue Creek and the dam situated in the Nashville District, there is a need for increased monitoring and risk management measures to ensure the safety and sustainability of Burns Lake for both aquatic wildlife and the surrounding community.
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 Burns Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Fountain Creek Near Fountain Heights | 3 cfs | → |
| Big Rock Cr At Double Bridges | 3 cfs | → |
| Cane Creek Near Howell | 0 cfs | → |
| Duck River Above Milltown | 179 cfs | → |
| Duck River At Columbia | 237 cfs | → |
| Elk River At Prospect | 729 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Burns Lake.
Boat launches
- Vales Mill Road 1300-1368, Pulaski
- Sowell Mill Pike 3181-3183, Columbia
- Howards Bridge Boat Access
- Lillard's Mill Launch Area
- Carpenter Bridge Road 2308, Columbia
- Iron Bridge Road 918, Columbia
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Fayetteville Old Stone Bridge
- Tva Public Land
- Madison County Lake
- Brotherick Branch
- Indiancamp Creek
- Crowder Slough
Paddle runs
Track Burns Lake 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 Burns Lake
Where does the data for Burns Lake 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 Burns Lake.