Mad River Flood Control Dam dam
Mad River Flood Control Dam
The Mad River Flood Control Dam, located in Winchester, Connecticut, was completed in 1963 and stands at a height of 178 feet with a length of 940 feet. This masonry dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Mad River, providing a maximum storage capacity of 11,300 acre-feet. With a high hazard potential, the dam is maintained by the state and regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
The dam's satisfactory condition assessment and regular inspections ensure its effectiveness in mitigating flood risks in the area. In the event of an emergency, an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is in place, with the last revision in February 2017. The dam has a spillway width of 340 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 29,600 cubic feet per second, making it a critical infrastructure for water resource and climate management enthusiasts in the region.
Overall, the Mad River Flood Control Dam is a vital structure for flood risk reduction in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Its strategic location and design contribute to the protection of surrounding communities from potential inundation and serve as a key component of water resource management efforts in the region. With state oversight and regular maintenance, this dam plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and resilience of the area's water infrastructure in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Mad River Flood Control Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Still River At Robertsville | 35 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River At Riverton | 232 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River Near New Boston | 30 cfs | → |
| Hubbard River Nr. West Hartland | 3 cfs | → |
| Burlington Brook Near Burlington | 3 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Falls Village | 323 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mad River Flood Control Dam.
Boat launches
- Highland Lake
- Winchester Lake
- Burr Pond
- West Hill Pond Boat Launch
- Wood Creek Pond Boat Launch
- Howells Pond
Campgrounds
- White Pines Campsites
- Camp Workcoeman
- Camp Sequassen
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
- Roaring Brook Camp Area
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Papermill Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Reservoir Number 2
Paddle runs
- The Hartland Headwaters 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
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
Track Mad River Flood Control 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 Mad River Flood Control Dam
Where does the data for Mad River Flood Control 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 High 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 Mad River Flood Control Dam.