Wononpakook Lake Dam dam
Wononpakook Lake Dam
Wononpakook Lake Dam, also known as Long Pond or Wononpakook Lake, is a local government-owned structure located in Salisbury, Connecticut. Completed in 1920, this earth dam stands at a height of 10 feet and has a length of 670 feet, creating a reservoir with a normal storage capacity of 1700 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, providing a surface area of 171 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Wononpakook Lake Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam's spillway, with a width of 50 feet, is uncontrolled, presenting a significant hazard potential if not properly managed. Despite being rated as "Not Rated" in terms of condition assessment, the dam is considered to have moderate risk, emphasizing the importance of ongoing risk management measures.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Wononpakook Lake Dam offers a fascinating look into the intersection of human infrastructure and natural resources. With its historical significance and recreational value, this dam serves as a vital part of the local landscape while also highlighting the need for careful monitoring and maintenance to ensure its long-term sustainability in the face of changing environmental 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 Wononpakook Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon Creek At Lime Rock | 30 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Falls Village | 536 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River Nr Ashley Falls | 423 cfs | → |
| Shepaug River At Peters Dam At Woodville | 22 cfs | → |
| Green River Near Great Barrington | 21 cfs | → |
| Tenmile River Near Gaylordsville | 170 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wononpakook Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Rudd Drive Town Of North East
- Twin Lakes
- Wood Creek Pond Boat Launch
- Winchester Lake
- South Kent Road Kent
- Burr Pond
Campgrounds
- Sharon Mountain Campsite
- Rudd Pond - Taconic State Park
- Belter's Campsites
- Ball Brook Group Camping Area
- Housatonic Meadows State Park
- Silver Hill Campsite
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Wononpakook Lake 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 Wononpakook Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wononpakook Lake 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 Wononpakook Lake Dam.