Pine Creek #4 dam
Pine Creek #4
Pine Creek #4, also known as Pine Creek 4 Dam, is a public utility-owned structure located in Scott, Tennessee. Built in 1966, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 33.5 feet and serves primarily for flood risk reduction, with secondary purposes including recreation and water supply. With a maximum storage capacity of 1163 acre-feet and normal storage of 629 acre-feet, Pine Creek #4 sits on Cotton Creek and covers a surface area of 58.6 acres within a drainage area of 1.4 square miles.
Managed by the Tennessee Safe Dams Program, Pine Creek #4 has a high hazard potential but is currently in satisfactory condition as of the most recent inspection in March 2021. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway type and has no outlet gates. Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, there are no documented risk management measures or emergency action plans prepared for this structure. With its significant contribution to flood risk reduction in the area, Pine Creek #4 remains a crucial component of the water resource infrastructure in Scott County, Tennessee.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Pine Creek #4 to be an intriguing structure that plays a vital role in managing flood risks in the region. With its historical significance dating back to 1966 and its continued operation under the oversight of the Tennessee Safe Dams Program, this earth dam on Cotton Creek showcases the importance of infrastructure for water supply, recreation, and flood control. As efforts to enhance resilience to climate change continue, the maintenance and monitoring of Pine Creek #4 will be essential to ensuring the safety and protection of the surrounding communities and natural habitats.
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 Pine Creek #4 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fk Cumberland River At Leatherwood Ford | 120 cfs | → |
| South Fork Cumberland River Near Stearns | 99 cfs | → |
| New River At New River | 37 cfs | → |
| Clear Fork Near Robbins | 24 cfs | → |
| Cumberland River At Cumberland Falls | 397 cfs | → |
| Clear Fork At Saxton | 43 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pine Creek #4.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Station Camp Horse Camp
- Bandy Creek - Big South Fork Area
- Bandy Creek Campground
- Bear Creek Horse Camp
- Honeycreek Horse Camp
- Blue Heron - Big South Fork Area
Paddle runs
- Tn/Ky State Line To White Oak Junction
- Kentucky Road 478 To Kentucky Road 679
- Kentucky Road 679 To Confluence Of Cumberland River
- 4 Miles Downstream From The Kentucky Highway 90 Bridge To Confluence With Cane Creek
- U.S. 127 Bridge To Morgan County Line
- Kentucky Road 80 Bridge To Downstream Part Of Rockcastle Narrows
More reservoirs
Track Pine Creek #4 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 Pine Creek #4
Where does the data for Pine Creek #4 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 Pine Creek #4.