Gardner Brook dam
Gardner Brook
Gardner Brook is a private hydroelectric dam located in Oxford, Maine, with a primary purpose of providing fire protection, stock, and hydroelectric power. The concrete dam stands at a height of 21 feet and has a hydraulic height of 10 feet, with a storage capacity of 140 acre-feet. Completed in 1986, the dam serves the local area with a normal storage capacity of 100 acre-feet and a surface area of 10 acres.
Managed by the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Gardner Brook is state-regulated for permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The dam has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for condition assessment. The last inspection was conducted in November 2000, with a frequency of 12 inspections per year. While the dam does not currently have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place, it meets state guidelines for risk management measures.
The dam's location along Gardner Brook contributes to the overall water resource management in the area, providing essential services while ensuring compliance with state regulations. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate conservation can appreciate Gardner Brook's role in sustaining local ecosystems and supporting renewable energy production through hydroelectric power generation.
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 Gardner Brook -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ellis River At South Andover | 318 cfs | → |
| Swift River Near Roxbury | 190 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River At Rumford | 5,730 cfs | → |
| Wild River At Gilead | 194 cfs | → |
| Little Androscoggin River Near South Paris | 149 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River At Errol | 2,410 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gardner Brook.
Boat launches
- South Arm Road Oxford County
- Rowe Hill Road Woodstock
- Boat Landing Access Road Oxford County
- Androscoggin River Boat Launch
- Androscoggin River (Pontook Reservoir) Boat Launch
- State Park Road Rangeley
Campgrounds
- Town Corner Campsite
- Grafton Notch Campground
- Lane Camp Site
- Bethel Outdoor Adventures And Campground
- Umbagog Lake
- Mount Blue State Park
Paddle runs
Track Gardner Brook 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 Gardner Brook
Where does the data for Gardner Brook 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 Gardner Brook.