Sweetheart Lake Dam dam
Sweetheart Lake Dam
Located in Tolland, Connecticut, the Sweetheart Lake Dam stands as a vital structure along the Bone Mill Brook, serving primarily for recreational purposes since its completion in 1927. This private dam, standing at a height of 16 feet and a length of 170 feet, boasts a storage capacity of 55 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 10 acres. Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the dam is regulated and inspected regularly to ensure its satisfactory condition and significant hazard potential is mitigated.
With a spillway width of 42 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 173 cubic feet per second, the Sweetheart Lake Dam is designed to handle moderate risks associated with its operation. The dam's structure consists of concrete and earth materials, featuring a multi-arch core foundation that supports its hydraulic function effectively. Despite its age, the dam continues to be a key feature in the local water resource management, providing both recreational enjoyment and essential flood control measures for the surrounding area. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Sweetheart Lake Dam to be a fascinating example of resilient infrastructure 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 Sweetheart Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Hope River Near Warrenville | 40 cfs | → |
| Willimantic River Near Coventry | 160 cfs | → |
| Broad Brook At Broad Brook | 22 cfs | → |
| Natchaug River At Willimantic | 231 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Thompsonville | 18,900 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 102 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sweetheart Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- Bigelow Pond
- Bolton Lake (Lower)
- Coventry Lake
- Mansfield Hollow Dam
- Pine Acres Lake
Campgrounds
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Brialee
- Beech Grove 5
- Highland Campground
- Westover Arb Military
- Primitve Camping Area
Fishing spots
- Trout Hatchery
- Lake Washington Fishing Area
- Baker Cove
- Twotree Island Channel
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Mumford Cove
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
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Sweetheart 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 Sweetheart Lake Dam
Where does the data for Sweetheart 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 Sweetheart Lake Dam.