Carousel Pond Dam dam
Carousel Pond Dam
Located in Heritage Park, New Castle, Delaware, the Carousel Pond Dam is a local government-owned structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. This gravity dam, with a height of 36.28 feet and a length of 475 feet, impounds the Mill Creek - TR river stream, creating a surface area of 8.69 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 250 acre-feet. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is considered to be in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in August 2017.
Maintained by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Carousel Pond Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state. It features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 6 feet and has no outlet gates. The dam poses a moderate risk, with no specific risk management measures identified. Although the Emergency Action Plan (EAP) status is unclear, the dam's condition assessment and hazard potential indicate a need for ongoing monitoring and potentially improved emergency preparedness measures.
With a picturesque setting and recreational focus, Carousel Pond Dam provides a tranquil oasis in Heritage Park while also presenting challenges in terms of risk management and emergency response. Its significance lies not only in its recreational value but also in the need for continued oversight and maintenance to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and the sustainability of the water resource 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 Carousel Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White Clay Creek Near Newark | 44 cfs | → |
| Red Clay Creek Near Stanton | 28 cfs | → |
| Red Clay Creek At Wooddale | 24 cfs | → |
| White Clay Creek At Newark | 37 cfs | → |
| White Clay Creek Near Strickersville | 31 cfs | → |
| Red Clay Creek Near Kennett Square | 14 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Carousel Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Churchmans Road New Castle County
- I 95;Us 202 Wilmington
- Delaware Memorial Bridge Pennsville Township
- Riviera Drive 54, Pennsville
- Plant Road Penns Grove
- Officers Row New Castle County
Campgrounds
- Lums Pond Youth Camping
- Harmony Hill Wilderness Area Campsite
- Sandy Hill Camp
- Camp Rodney
- Tinicum Island Primitive Campsite
- Camp Horseshoe
Fishing spots
Track Carousel 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 Carousel Pond Dam
Where does the data for Carousel 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 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 Carousel Pond Dam.