Cohen Pond dam
Cohen Pond
Cohen Pond in Frederick, Maryland, is a privately owned water resource managed by the Maryland Dam Safety agency. Built in 1952, this earth dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, with irrigation as a secondary function. The dam stands at 33 feet high and spans 400 feet in length, holding a maximum storage capacity of 52 acre-feet with a normal storage level of 38 acre-feet. The pond covers a surface area of 4.6 acres and drains a small watershed of 0.1 square miles, with a maximum discharge capacity of 83 cubic feet per second.
Despite its significant hazard potential and poor condition assessment, Cohen Pond continues to attract visitors for recreational activities such as fishing and boating. The dam underwent modifications in 2002 to enhance its hydraulic, structural, and other aspects. Regular inspections are conducted every three years, with the most recent assessment carried out in January 2019. While the risk assessment for the dam is rated as moderate, ongoing risk management measures aim to ensure the safety and integrity of Cohen Pond for both visitors and the surrounding 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 Cohen Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Catoctin Creek Near Middletown | 17 cfs | → |
| Monocacy River At Monocacy Blvd At Frederick | 180 cfs | → |
| Monocacy River At Jug Bridge Near Frederick | 218 cfs | → |
| Bennett Creek At Park Mills | 17 cfs | → |
| Potomac River At Point Of Rocks | 2,680 cfs | → |
| Catoctin Creek At Taylorstown | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cohen Pond.
Boat launches
- Frederick
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Frederick County
- South Maple Avenue 105, Brunswick
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Point Of Rocks
- Petersville Road Brunswick
- Big Red Trail Mount Lena
Campgrounds
- Gambrill State Park
- Bald Eagle Campsite
- Bald Eagle Island
- Dahlgren Backpack Camping Area
- Brunswick City Campground
- Calico Rocks Campsite
Fishing spots
- Culler Lake
- Hunting Creek Lake
- Little Owens Creek
- Potomac River Reservoir
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal
- Blairs Valley Lake
Paddle runs
- Begins South Of Largent To The Confluence With The Potomac At Great Cacapon
- Capon Bridge To Ends Just South Of Largent
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
- State Route 675 At Edinburg, Va To State Highway 55 Southeast Of Strasburg, Va
- Bixler Bridge On State Route 675 To Karo Landing, Approximately 6 Miles South Of Town Of Front Royal
Track Cohen Pond 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 Cohen Pond
Where does the data for Cohen Pond 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 Cohen Pond.