Swede Pond Dam dam
Swede Pond Dam
Swede Pond Dam, located in Berlin, Connecticut, is a privately owned earth dam with a primary purpose of recreation. Sitting on the Crooked Brook river, this dam stands at 18 feet in height and stretches 310 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 8 acre-feet. Despite its recreational function, Swede Pond Dam is classified as having a significant hazard potential and a poor condition assessment as of its last inspection in November 2015.
The dam features a valve outlet gate and a spillway width of 20 feet, with state regulation, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance. While the dam's construction year is not specified, its age and condition raise concerns about its long-term stability and functionality. With a drainage area of 0.9 square miles, Swede Pond Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources and maintaining the surrounding ecosystem, making it a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts in the area.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts explore the intricacies of Swede Pond Dam, they are drawn to its historical significance and potential risks. With a designated inspection frequency of 5 years, ongoing monitoring and maintenance are essential to mitigate any potential hazards and ensure the dam's continued functionality. The dam's location in the Hartford County of Connecticut adds to its importance in local water management efforts, highlighting the interconnectedness of water resources and climate resilience in the region.
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 Swede Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac River At Southington | 13 cfs | → |
| Coginchaug River At Middlefield | 20 cfs | → |
| Quinnipiac River At Wallingford | 106 cfs | → |
| Connecticut R At Middle Haddam | 47,100 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Unionville | 336 cfs | → |
| North Branch Park R At Hartford | 11 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Swede Pond Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Reservoir Number 2
- Seymour Reservoir Number 2
- Reservoir Number 1
Paddle runs
- 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
- 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 Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
Track Swede Pond 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 Swede Pond Dam
Where does the data for Swede Pond 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 Swede Pond Dam.