Great Pond Dam dam
Great Pond Dam
Great Pond Dam, located in Simsbury, Connecticut, is a state-owned structure on Great Pond Brook. Built in 1930, this Earth-type dam stands at a height of 9 feet and spans 600 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 75 acre-feet and a surface area of 31.2 acres. The dam serves as a Fish and Wildlife Pond, providing essential habitat for aquatic wildlife in the area.
Despite its age, the dam has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition. While it is under state jurisdiction and regulated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the last inspection conducted on Great Pond Dam was back in December 1985. With its primary purpose of supporting fish and wildlife, this dam plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance in the region, highlighting the importance of its upkeep and monitoring for climate and water resource enthusiasts.
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 Great Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Farmington River At Tariffville | 410 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook Near West Suffield | 4 cfs | → |
| North Branch Park R At Hartford | 11 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Unionville | 259 cfs | → |
| Burlington Brook Near Burlington | 4 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River At Riverton | 129 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Great Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Riverside Road Simsbury
- Rainbow Reservoir
- Farmington River Trail Collinsville
- West Hill Pond Boat Launch
- Bissell Bridge (Connecticut River)
- Howells Pond
Campgrounds
- Roaring Brook Camp Area
- Primitve Camping Area
- Deep Campsite
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
- Camp Workcoeman
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Reservoir Number 2
- Seymour Reservoir Number 2
Paddle runs
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- 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
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
Track Great 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 Great Pond Dam
Where does the data for Great 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 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 Great Pond Dam.