Taftville Hydro Dam dam
Taftville Hydro Dam
The Taftville Hydro Dam, also known as Shetucket River Dam #4, is a concrete structure located in Norwich, Connecticut. Built in 1867, it serves as a hydroelectric facility along the Shetucket River, with a primary purpose of generating renewable energy. The dam stands at 30 feet in height and stretches 1120 feet in length, with a maximum discharge capacity of 26,075 cubic feet per second.
Managed by a public utility, the Taftville Hydro Dam is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in September 2020 deemed it to be satisfactory. With a drainage area of 511 square miles and a storage capacity of 1,712 acre-feet, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
This historic dam, overseen by local congressman Joe Courtney, underscores the intersection of water resource management and renewable energy production. With a moderate risk assessment rating, ongoing inspections, and emergency preparedness measures in place, the Taftville Hydro Dam stands as a testament to sustainable infrastructure development and the importance of climate-conscious practices in the management of water resources.
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 Taftville Hydro Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Shetucket River At Taftville | 755 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Jewett City | 918 cfs | → |
| Yantic River At Yantic | 87 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Hanover | 34 cfs | → |
| Shetucket River Near Willimantic | 553 cfs | → |
| Natchaug River At Willimantic | 248 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Taftville Hydro Dam.
Boat launches
- Amos Lake
- Jeffrey Lane Griswold
- Butts Bridge Road Canterbury
- Jerusalem Road South Windham
- Glasgo Pond State Boat Launch
- Lovell Lane 50, Canterbury
Campgrounds
- Highland Campground
- Laurel Lock Camp
- Mystic Koa Holiday
- Youth Site 1
- Youth Site 2
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
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
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Taftville Hydro 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 Taftville Hydro Dam
Where does the data for Taftville Hydro 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 High 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 Taftville Hydro Dam.