Belden Dam dam
Belden Dam
Belden Dam, also known as Belden Pond, is a private dam located in Thompson, Connecticut, along the Blackmore Brook. Completed in 1900, this masonry dam stands at 12 feet high and spans 296 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 338 acre-feet. The dam primarily serves as a recreational site, offering a surface area of 75 acres for water activities and outdoor enjoyment.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Belden Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the state to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. With a significant hazard potential, the dam has a spillway width of 22 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 60 cubic feet per second. Despite not being currently rated for its condition, the dam remains a key structure for water resource management in the region, attracting enthusiasts and visitors alike to its picturesque location in Windham County.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Belden Dam presents a fascinating example of historic engineering and recreational infrastructure in Connecticut. With its rich history, scenic surroundings, and state-regulated operations, the dam serves as a valuable asset for water storage, flood control, and outdoor recreation in the region. As efforts continue to ensure the safety and efficiency of the dam, it remains a prominent feature in the local landscape, drawing attention from those interested in the intersection of water resources, climate management, and recreational opportunities.
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 Belden Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quinebaug R At West Thompson | 225 cfs | → |
| French R At N Grosvenordale | 116 cfs | → |
| Nipmuc River Near Harrisville | 17 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Putnam | 432 cfs | → |
| Little River At Harrisville | 29 cfs | → |
| French River At Webster | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Belden Dam.
Boat launches
- Quaddick Reservoir
- Clarkville Pond
- Bowdish Reservoir
- Wallum Lake Road 107, Douglas
- Pascoag Reservoir Fishing Access
- North Road 1060, Killingly
Campgrounds
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
- Brialee
- "The Sandpits" Private Hiking And Winter Sports Area
- Highland Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Belden 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 Belden Dam
Where does the data for Belden 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 Belden Dam.