Lake Mark Dam dam
Lake Mark Dam
Lake Mark Dam, located in West Stafford, Connecticut, is a privately owned structure built in 1957 primarily for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a height of 21 feet and spans 520 feet in length, creating a surface area of 13.5 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 185 acre-feet. The dam regulates the flow of Diamond Ledge Brook, with a drainage area of 0.63 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 463 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Lake Mark Dam is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement measures to ensure its safety and integrity. The dam has a significant hazard potential and a five-year inspection frequency. While its condition is not currently rated, emergency action plans were last revised in 2008. The dam does not feature a spillway but is equipped with outlet gates, emphasizing its importance in water resource management and flood control efforts in the region.
With its picturesque surroundings and recreational opportunities, Lake Mark Dam serves as a vital asset for the community, offering both leisure activities and essential water resource management functions. As a key feature along Diamond Ledge Brook, the dam plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and storage in the area, highlighting the intersection of human infrastructure with natural water systems. Climate and water resource enthusiasts can appreciate the significance of Lake Mark Dam in maintaining ecological balance and enhancing water-based activities in Tolland County, Connecticut.
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 Lake Mark Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Brook At Broad Brook | 22 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Thompsonville | 18,900 cfs | → |
| Quaboag River At West Brimfield | 259 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 102 cfs | → |
| Chicopee River At Indian Orchard | 1,210 cfs | → |
| Mount Hope River Near Warrenville | 40 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Mark Dam.
Boat launches
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- Bigelow Pond
- Red Bridge Road 16, Wilbraham
- South End Bridge Agawam
- Kings Island (Connecticut River)
- Water Street 266-334, Springfield
Campgrounds
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Brialee
- Westover Arb Military
- Beech Grove 5
- Primitve Camping Area
- Highland Campground
Fishing spots
- Trout Hatchery
- Lake Washington Fishing Area
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Baker Cove
- Twotree Island Channel
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
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- 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
Track Lake Mark 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 Lake Mark Dam
Where does the data for Lake Mark 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 Lake Mark Dam.