Ouleout Lake Dam dam
Ouleout Lake Dam
Ouleout Lake Dam, located in Torrington, Connecticut, is a picturesque masonry dam completed in 1900 for recreational purposes. Situated on the Hall Meadow Brook Tributary, this private dam stands at a height of 9 feet and boasts a storage capacity of 64 acre-feet with a surface area of 16 acres. With a maximum discharge of 193 cubic feet per second, the dam serves as a significant water resource in the region.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Ouleout Lake Dam is state-regulated and subject to regular inspections, enforcement, and permitting. Despite its historical significance and recreational value, the dam's condition is currently not rated, posing a significant hazard potential. With a spillway width of 26 feet and a drainage area of 60 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and ensuring the safety of the surrounding area.
As a key feature in the region's water infrastructure, Ouleout Lake Dam is not only a popular spot for recreational activities but also a critical component in flood control and water resource management. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find this dam's history, design, and current status intriguing, making it a focal point for further exploration and study in the realm of water resource management and climate resilience.
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 Ouleout Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Still River At Robertsville | 35 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River At Riverton | 232 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Falls Village | 323 cfs | → |
| Salmon Creek At Lime Rock | 15 cfs | → |
| Burlington Brook Near Burlington | 3 cfs | → |
| Shepaug River At Peters Dam At Woodville | 20 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ouleout Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Winchester Lake
- Burr Pond
- Highland Lake
- West Hill Pond Boat Launch
- Wood Creek Pond Boat Launch
- Howells Pond
Campgrounds
- Camp Sequassen
- Camp Workcoeman
- White Pines Campsites
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
- Belter's Campsites
Fishing spots
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lake Quassapaug
- Papermill Pond
- Squantz Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
Paddle runs
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
Track Ouleout Lake Dam 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 Ouleout Lake Dam
Where does the data for Ouleout Lake Dam 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 Significant 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 Ouleout Lake Dam.