Nightingale Pond Dam dam
Nightingale Pond Dam
Nightingale Pond Dam, located in Pomfret, Connecticut, is a historic masonry dam built in 1722 for recreational purposes on Nightingale Brook. With a height of 6 feet and a length of 260 feet, this dam has a storage capacity of 220 acre-feet and serves as a picturesque spot for outdoor activities in Windham County. Despite its age, the dam is in fair condition as of the last inspection in September 2015, with a significant hazard potential due to its uncontrolled spillway and moderate risk assessment rating.
Managed by a private owner, Nightingale Pond Dam is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. While the dam has not been significantly modified over the years, it remains a vital part of the local landscape, providing a tranquil water feature for the community to enjoy. The dam's location in Pomfret adds to its charm, offering a peaceful retreat for water resource and climate enthusiasts to appreciate the intersection of history and natural beauty in the area.
As a key structure on Nightingale Brook, Nightingale Pond Dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and storage in the region, with a maximum discharge of 147 cfs and a surface area of 36.7 acres. With its unique features and historical significance, this dam serves as both a recreational destination and a reminder of Connecticut's rich heritage in water resource management. For those interested in the intersection of infrastructure, climate resilience, and natural beauty, Nightingale Pond Dam is a must-visit site that showcases the importance of sustainable water management practices in a changing climate.
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 Nightingale Pond 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 | → |
| Mount Hope River Near Warrenville | 40 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Quinebaug | 161 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Nightingale Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Hartford Pike Rogers
- Bigelow Pond
- Pine Acres Lake
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- Quaddick Reservoir
- North Road 1060, Killingly
Campgrounds
- Brialee
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Highland Campground
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
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 Nightingale 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 Nightingale Pond Dam
Where does the data for Nightingale 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 Nightingale Pond Dam.