Rainbow (pa-460)
Rainbow (pa-460) is an earth dam located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Rainbow (pa-460)
The primary purpose of Rainbow (pa-460) is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City Of Meadville (local government). It impounds the Mill Run.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 420 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 850 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7 square miles. Completed in 1964, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/16/2020.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Pennsylvania dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Crawford |
| River/Stream | Mill Run |
| Coordinates | 41.63556, -80.13278 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 420 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 850 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 850 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 7 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | CITY OF MEADVILLE |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/16/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00177 |
| Federal ID | PA00177 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |