Union Carbide H & F Club #3 dam
Union Carbide H & F Club #3
Union Carbide H & F Club #3, also known as Horsehead Lake (Lower), is a private recreational dam located in Kanawha, West Virginia. Built in 1949, this earth dam stands at a height of 20 feet and has a storage capacity of 91 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2013 was deemed unsatisfactory, indicating a need for maintenance and upgrades to ensure its long-term safety and functionality.
Situated on the Blue Crab of Elk River, Union Carbide H & F Club #3 spans 303 feet in length and covers a surface area of 7 acres with a drainage area of 6.32 square miles. While the dam is not state-regulated, it is subject to regular inspections, with the last assessment conducted in September 2016. With an annual inspection frequency of 5 years, the dam's emergency action plan (EAP) was last revised in January 2014, highlighting the importance of preparedness and risk management in the event of a potential breach or flood scenario.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Union Carbide H & F Club #3 serves as a significant recreational landmark in West Virginia, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities. As a private structure, the dam's maintenance and upkeep are crucial to ensuring the safety of surrounding communities and preserving the ecological balance of the area. With ongoing assessments and potential risk management measures, this dam represents a microcosm of the delicate balance between human development and environmental stewardship 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 Union Carbide H & F Club #3 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Elk River At Queen Shoals | 1,230 cfs | → |
| Gauley River Above Belva | 2,600 cfs | → |
| Elk River At Clay | 11,200 cfs | → |
| Peters Creek Near Lockwood | 41 cfs | → |
| Kanawha River At Kanawha Falls | 7,040 cfs | → |
| Pocatalico River At Sissonville | 508 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Union Carbide H & F Club #3.
Boat launches
- Heritage Farms Drive Nicholas County
- Battle Run Public Boat Launch
- County Route 19/32 Nicholas County
- Fayette Station Road Fayetteville
- Us 19;Wv 41 Summersville
- Persinger Ford Road Nicholas County
Campgrounds
- Gauley River Wild & Woolly Primitive Campground
- Carnifex Ferry Cabins
- Ray's Campground
- Battle Run Campground
- Battle Run
- Mountain Lake Campground
Paddle runs
- Begins Below Summersville Lake To The Town Of Swiss
- Upper Gauley - Summersville Dam To Mason Branch
- The Route U.S. 19 Bridge To The Confluence With The Gauley River
- The Cora Brown Bridge In Nicholas County To The Confluence With The Elk River In Braxton County
- Meadow Creek Junction To The Route U.S. 19 Bridge
- The Junction With Williams River To The Junction With Panther Creek
Track Union Carbide H & F Club #3 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 Union Carbide H & F Club #3
Where does the data for Union Carbide H & F Club #3 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 Union Carbide H & F Club #3.