Howell dam
Howell
Located in Weston, Wyoming, the Howell dam stands as a vital structure along Black Tail Creek, serving primarily for irrigation purposes. Constructed in 1946, this private-owned earth dam reaches a height of 23 feet and spans 1220 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 840 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment reveals a poor state, suggesting a need for maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure its long-term functionality and safety.
The Howell dam's spillway, with a width of 50 feet, is uncontrolled, and the structure features one other controlled outlet gate. The dam's drainage area is 13.2 square miles, with a maximum discharge capacity of 1735 cubic feet per second. While the risk assessment indicates a moderate level of risk (3), the dam has not had any modifications or emergency action plans prepared or updated recently. With the last inspection conducted in April 2018, the Howell dam demonstrates the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to mitigate potential hazards and ensure the continued reliability of this essential water resource infrastructure.
In conclusion, the Howell dam plays a crucial role in water management and agricultural activities in the region, highlighting the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience. As climate change impacts continue to pose challenges to water availability and infrastructure safety, efforts to assess and address the condition of dams like Howell are essential for sustainable water resource management. Collaboration between stakeholders and regulatory agencies will be key in implementing necessary risk management measures and ensuring the long-term resilience of water infrastructure in the face of a changing climate.
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 Howell -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Stockade Beaver Creek Near Newcastle | 18 cfs | → |
| Cheyenne River Near Spencer | 0 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek At Mallo Camp | 3 cfs | → |
| Castle Cr Above Deerfield Res Near Hill City Sd | 12 cfs | → |
| Castle Cr Below Deerfield Dam Sd | 9 cfs | → |
| Cold Springs Creek At Buckhorn | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Howell.
Campgrounds
- Summit Ridge Cabin
- Redbank Springs Campground
- Ditch Creek Campground
- Ditch Creek
- Comanche Park
- Beaver Creek
Fishing spots
- Lak Reservoir
- Blackhills Power And Light Reservoir
- Turner Creek Reservoir
- Deerfield Reservoir Complex
- Bismark Lake
- Horsethief Lake Day Use Site
More reservoirs
Track Howell 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 Howell
Where does the data for Howell 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 Howell.