Bleachery Dam dam
Bleachery Dam
Bleachery Dam, located in New Milford, Connecticut, serves as a key recreational spot along the picturesque Housatonic River. Completed in 1920, this dam stands at a height of 15 feet and spans 300 feet, offering a serene surface area of 100 acres for visitors to enjoy. Its primary purpose is for recreation, providing a tranquil retreat for water resource and climate enthusiasts to appreciate the natural beauty of the area.
Despite its historical significance, Bleachery Dam currently faces challenges in terms of its condition assessment, rated as poor during the last inspection in 2014. With a hazard potential categorized as low, efforts to improve and maintain this dam are crucial to ensuring the safety and longevity of this vital structure. The dam's capacity of 800 acre-feet of storage and maximum discharge of 21,000 cubic feet per second highlight its importance in managing water resources in the region.
As a regulated dam under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Bleachery Dam plays a crucial role in water management and environmental protection efforts in Litchfield County. With a focus on recreation, conservation, and safety, stakeholders and enthusiasts alike are encouraged to support initiatives that aim to preserve and enhance the sustainability of this valuable water resource for future generations to enjoy.
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 Bleachery Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Still River At Route 7 At Brookfield Center | 49 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Gaylordsville | 1,290 cfs | → |
| Tenmile River Near Gaylordsville | 233 cfs | → |
| Weekeepeemee River At Hotchkissville | 17 cfs | → |
| East Branch Croton River Near Putnam Lake Ny | 42 cfs | → |
| Pomperaug River At Southbury | 61 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bleachery Dam.
Boat launches
- Grove Street 251, New Milford
- Squantz Pond
- Old Bogus Road 4, New Fairfield
- Lake Lillinonah
- Candlewood Lake (Lattins Cove)
- South Kent Road Kent
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- 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
Track Bleachery 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 Bleachery Dam
Where does the data for Bleachery 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 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 Bleachery Dam.