Porcupine dam
Porcupine
Porcupine is a privately owned dam located in Cache, Utah, along the East Fork Little Bear River. Built in 1962 for irrigation purposes, the earth dam stands at a structural height of 181 feet and has a hydraulic height of 167 feet. With a storage capacity of 15,000 acre-feet, Porcupine plays a crucial role in water management in the region, particularly for agricultural activities.
Managed by the Utah Division of Water Rights, Porcupine is subject to state regulations and inspections to ensure its safety and integrity. With a high hazard potential, regular assessments are conducted to maintain the dam's satisfactory condition. The dam's last inspection was in May 2020, with an inspection frequency of once per year. Despite the potential risks associated with the dam, emergency preparedness measures such as an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) are yet to be prepared or updated.
Located in a picturesque setting in Avon, Utah, Porcupine serves as a vital water resource for the surrounding area. As climate change continues to impact water availability and usage patterns, dams like Porcupine play a crucial role in managing and distributing water resources effectively. Understanding the importance of maintaining and regulating such infrastructure is essential for ensuring the sustainability and resilience of water systems in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Porcupine -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Bear River At Paradise | 83 cfs | → |
| Blacksmith Fork Ab U.P.&L. Co | 74 cfs | → |
| Logan | 68 cfs | → |
| Logan River Above State Dam | 410 cfs | → |
| South Fork Ogden River Near Huntsville | 76 cfs | → |
| Bear River Near Corinne | 411 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Porcupine.
Boat launches
- Skullcrack Trail Weber County
- Promontory Road Corinne
- Highway 30 Cache County
- North 3000 West Cache County
- West 3000 North 4507, Cache County
- Highway 102 Box Elder County
Campgrounds
- Blacksmith Fork Cabin
- Little Valley Country Store & Campground
- Friendship Campground
- Box Elder Campground
- Spring Campground
- Middle Fork Dispersed Camping
Paddle runs
- Source To Mouth
- Logan Town Run
- Staircase Section - 2nd Dam To 1st Dam
- 3rd Dam To 2nd Dam
- Source To Nf Boundary
- Confluence With Beaver Creek To Bridge In Guinavah-Malibu Campground
More reservoirs
Track Porcupine 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 Porcupine
Where does the data for Porcupine 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 Porcupine.