Mearns Meadow Dam dam
Mearns Meadow Dam
Mearns Meadow Dam, located in Austin, Texas along Little Walnut Creek, stands as a vital structure for flood risk reduction in the area. Constructed in 1994, this earth dam reaches a height of 12 feet and spans 735 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 128 acre-feet, the dam serves to mitigate potential flooding events and protect the surrounding community from water-related hazards.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Mearns Meadow Dam undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and four outlet gates, allowing for controlled water release when necessary. Despite its moderate risk rating, the dam's condition remains unrated, calling for continued monitoring and risk management measures to uphold its effectiveness in flood mitigation.
As a key infrastructure in the region, Mearns Meadow Dam plays a crucial role in protecting the city of Austin from potential flood events along Little Walnut Creek. With its strategic design and regulatory oversight, the dam stands as a testament to proactive water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the area.
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 Mearns Meadow Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Walnut Ck At Georgian Dr | 1 cfs | → |
| Walnut Ck At Dessau Rd | 3 cfs | → |
| Shoal Ck At Silverway Dr | · | → |
| Waller Ck At Koenig Lane | 0 cfs | → |
| Ft Br Boggy Ck At Manor Rd | 21 cfs | → |
| Bull Ck At Loop 360 Nr Austin | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mearns Meadow Dam.
Boat launches
- North Capital Of Texas Highway 5015, Austin
- Greenshores Drive 6921, Travis County
- Redbud Trail, Austin
- Ann And Roy Butler Hike And Bike Trail, Austin
- South Pleasant Valley Road 1-79, Austin
- Festival Beach Road, Austin
Campgrounds
- Camp Mabry Military
- Emma Long Metropolitan Park
- Cypress Creek - Lake Travis
- Mckinney Falls State Park
- Sandy Creek - Lake Travis
- Arkansas Bend - Lake Travis
Fishing spots
Track Mearns Meadow Dam 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 Mearns Meadow Dam
Where does the data for Mearns Meadow Dam 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 Not Available 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 Mearns Meadow Dam.