Quassett Lake Road Dam dam
Quassett Lake Road Dam
Quassett Lake Road Dam, also known as Wappaquassett Lake, is a historic masonry dam located in Woodstock, Connecticut. Completed in 1855, this dam stands at a height of 14 feet and has a length of 320 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 478 acre-feet. The primary purpose of this dam is for recreation, providing a surface area of 91 acres for activities such as boating and fishing.
Despite its age and historical significance, Quassett Lake Road Dam is facing significant challenges. With a poor condition assessment and a hazard potential rated as significant, the dam requires attention to ensure its safety and functionality. The last inspection in October 2016 revealed the need for improvements, and with a moderate risk rating, there is a need for ongoing risk management measures to mitigate potential threats.
As a privately owned dam regulated by the state of Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Quassett Lake Road Dam is a crucial structure for water resource management in the area. With a spillway width of 10 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 156 cubic feet per second, this dam plays a vital role in controlling water flow and maintaining the surrounding ecosystem. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will be intrigued by the history and current challenges facing Quassett Lake Road Dam, highlighting the importance of sustainable dam management practices for the future.
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 Quassett Lake Road Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little River At Harrisville | 29 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Putnam | 432 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R At West Thompson | 225 cfs | → |
| French R At N Grosvenordale | 116 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Quinebaug | 161 cfs | → |
| French River At Webster | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Quassett Lake Road Dam.
Boat launches
- Hartford Pike Rogers
- Bigelow Pond
- Quaddick Reservoir
- Clarkville Pond
- North Road 1060, Killingly
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
Campgrounds
- Brialee
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
- Highland Campground
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
- 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
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
Track Quassett Lake Road 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 Quassett Lake Road Dam
Where does the data for Quassett Lake Road 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 Quassett Lake Road Dam.