Wood Creek Pond Dam dam
Wood Creek Pond Dam
Wood Creek Pond Dam, located in Norfolk, Connecticut, is a state-owned structure with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1900, this earth dam stands at a height of 22 feet and has a length of 250 feet, providing a storage capacity of 1387 acre-feet. The dam overlooks Wood Creek, offering a serene and picturesque setting for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy various recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing.
Despite its age, Wood Creek Pond Dam has been deemed to be in satisfactory condition, with a significant hazard potential. The dam is state-regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), ensuring that it undergoes regular inspections, permitting, and enforcement to maintain its structural integrity and safety. The last inspection in 2015 found the dam to be in good condition, with a satisfactory assessment and emergency action plan in place.
With a drainage area of 1.86 square miles and a surface area of 151 acres, Wood Creek Pond Dam plays a vital role in managing water resources in the region. The dam's maximum discharge capacity of 1050 cubic feet per second and spillway width of 40 feet help to mitigate flood risks and protect downstream communities. As a beloved recreational spot and critical water management infrastructure, Wood Creek Pond Dam serves both as a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and as a crucial asset for climate resilience in the area.
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 Wood Creek Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West Branch Farmington River Near New Boston | 52 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River Nr Ashley Falls | 499 cfs | → |
| Still River At Robertsville | 70 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River At Riverton | 134 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Falls Village | 636 cfs | → |
| Salmon Creek At Lime Rock | 33 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wood Creek Pond Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- White Pines Campsites
- Belter's Campsites
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
- Tolland State Forest
- Granville State Forest
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
Fishing spots
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lake Quassapaug
- Squantz Pond
- Papermill Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
Paddle runs
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- 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
Track Wood Creek 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 Wood Creek Pond Dam
Where does the data for Wood Creek 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 Wood Creek Pond Dam.