Thompsons dam
Thompsons
Thompsons, located in Kennebec, Maine, is a privately owned dam with a primary purpose of fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. Built in 1850, this concrete dam stands at 17 feet tall with a hydraulic height of 10 feet and a length of 90 feet. With a storage capacity of 150 acre-feet, Thompsons serves various purposes including fire protection, stock, small fish pond, fish and wildlife pond, and recreation.
Maintained by the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Thompsons is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state. Its hazard potential is rated as low, with a condition assessment that is currently not rated. The dam has a spillway width of 10 feet and a surface area of 20 acres. Although last inspected in 2013, the dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and inundation maps are currently not available, indicating a need for updated emergency preparedness measures.
Thompsons, situated on Potters Brook, falls under the jurisdiction of the New England District. Despite its age, the dam continues to provide essential services while operating safely. As the climate changes and water resources become increasingly important, ongoing monitoring and maintenance of dams like Thompsons are crucial to ensure their effectiveness in protecting communities and the environment.
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 Thompsons -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cobbosseecontee Stream At Gardiner | 726 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River Near Auburn | 7,760 cfs | → |
| Nezinscot River At Turner Center | 43 cfs | → |
| Sheepscot River At North Whitefield | 312 cfs | → |
| Kennebec River At North Sidney | 8,390 cfs | → |
| Little Androscoggin River Near South Paris | 125 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thompsons.
Boat launches
- Litchfield
- Cobbosseeconte Lake Boat Launch
- Lake Street Sabattus
- Lower Narrows Pond Public Boat Ramp
- Maranacook Lake South Public Boat Ramp
- Robbins Lane 18, Winthrop
Track Thompsons 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 Thompsons
Where does the data for Thompsons 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 Low 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 Thompsons.