Lady Emma dam
Lady Emma
Lady Emma is a privately-owned dam located in Natrona, Wyoming, along Brush Creek. Built in 1917 for irrigation purposes, this Earth-type dam stands at a height of 23 feet and has a storage capacity of 52 acre-feet. With a low hazard potential and moderate risk assessment, Lady Emma plays a crucial role in providing water for irrigation, fire protection, stock, and small fish ponds in the area.
Managed by the Wyoming State Engineer's Office, Lady Emma undergoes regular inspections and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a spillway width of 27 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 906 cubic feet per second, the dam is equipped to handle potential flooding events. Despite its age, Lady Emma continues to serve the community effectively, highlighting the importance of proper maintenance and regulation for water resource management in the region.
As a significant piece of infrastructure in the Sacramento District, Lady Emma stands as a testament to early 20th-century engineering and the ongoing importance of water resource management in Wyoming. With its historical significance and functional role in providing essential water services, this dam serves as a reminder of the intricate relationship between human development, climate challenges, and sustainable water use practices.
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 Lady Emma -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater River Near Alcova | 27 cfs | → |
| Sweetwater River Near Sweetwater Station | 82 cfs | → |
| Wind River Ab Boysen Reservoir | 377 cfs | → |
| Fivemile Creek Near Shoshoni | 99 cfs | → |
| Little Wind River Near Riverton | 632 cfs | → |
| Wind River At Riverton | 150 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lady Emma.
Fishing spots
More reservoirs
Track Lady Emma 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 Lady Emma
Where does the data for Lady Emma 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 Lady Emma.