Don Pleasants Dam dam
Don Pleasants Dam
Don Pleasants Dam, also known as Pleasant Pond, is a privately owned earth dam located in Allegany, Maryland, near Pumpkin Center. Completed in 1977, this dam serves primarily for recreational purposes along Bear Hollow Creek. Standing at a height of 50 feet and a length of 525 feet, it has a storage capacity of 116 acre-feet and a normal storage of 96 acre-feet.
Managed by the Maryland Dam Safety agency, Don Pleasants Dam has a significant hazard potential but is currently in satisfactory condition. The spillway, with a width of 66 feet, is uncontrolled, and the dam has an outlet gate with a valve. Regular inspections are conducted, with the last assessment completed in December 2021. The risk assessment for this dam is moderate, indicating the need for ongoing risk management measures to ensure its safety and functionality for the surrounding community and 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 Don Pleasants Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Town Creek Near Oldtown | 37 cfs | → |
| Potomac River At Paw Paw | 869 cfs | → |
| North Branch Potomac River Near Cumberland | 492 cfs | → |
| Wills Creek Near Cumberland | 116 cfs | → |
| Sideling Hill Creek Near Bellegrove | 17 cfs | → |
| South Branch Potomac River Near Springfield | 261 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Don Pleasants Dam.
Boat launches
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Allegany County
- Bonds Landing Road Allegany County
- Gordon Lake Boat Access
- Koon Lake Boat Access
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Little Orleans
- Springfield Pike Hampshire County
Campgrounds
- Rocky Gap State Park
- Potomac Forks Campsite
- Potomac Forks Hiker Biker Campsite
- Pigmans Ferry Hiker Biker Campsite
- Pigmans Ferry Campsite
- Green Ridge State Forest Dispersed
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins South Of Largent To The Confluence With The Potomac At Great Cacapon
- Capon Bridge To Ends Just South Of Largent
- Begins Where The Lost River Becomes The Cacapon River To Wardensville
- Wardensville To The Town Of Capon Bridge
- The West Virginia 259 Bridge South Of Wardensville To Ends Where The Lost River Becomes The Cacapon River
- Headwaters Adjacent To Fdt 573 To State Route 622 Bridge
Track Don Pleasants 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 Don Pleasants Dam
Where does the data for Don Pleasants 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 Don Pleasants Dam.