Wheeler Pond Dam dam
Wheeler Pond Dam
Wheeler Pond Dam, located in Warwick, Massachusetts, was completed in 1824 and serves as a recreational site along Orcutt Brook. This earth dam stands at a height of 16.6 feet and has a storage capacity of 240 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 135 acre-feet. The dam covers a surface area of 0.05 square miles and has a drainage area of 8.69 square miles.
Managed by a private owner, Wheeler Pond Dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts. The dam is classified as low hazard potential and has been assessed to be in satisfactory condition as of 2012. With a moderate risk level, the dam has not been modified in recent years and is subject to regular inspections every 10 years to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Despite its age, Wheeler Pond Dam continues to provide valuable recreational opportunities for visitors while also serving as an important water resource management structure in the region. With its idyllic location and historical significance, the dam remains a notable feature in the landscape of Franklin County, Massachusetts, attracting water resource and climate enthusiasts alike.
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 Wheeler Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Branch Tully River Near Athol | 5 cfs | → |
| Millers River At Erving | 1,210 cfs | → |
| Millers River At South Royalston | 39 cfs | → |
| Birch Hill Reservoir At South Royalston | 30 cfs | → |
| Priest Brook Near Winchendon | 83 cfs | → |
| West Branch Swift River Near Shutesbury | 28 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wheeler Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- North Orange Road 52-534, Athol
- Main Street 2010, Athol
- Doane Hill Road Royalston
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- River Road Royalston
- Laurel Lake Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Erving State Forest
- Richardson-Zlogar Cabin
- Tully Lake
- Falls Brook Shelter
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- Barton Cove
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- Headwaters To First Bridge
Track Wheeler 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 Wheeler Pond Dam
Where does the data for Wheeler 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 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 Wheeler Pond Dam.