Barre Reservoir Dam dam
Barre Reservoir Dam
Barre Reservoir Dam, located in Worcester, Massachusetts, stands as a crucial structure along the Prince River. Completed in 1932, this Earth dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 29 acres and a capacity of 460 acre-feet for water storage. Despite its modest height of 15 feet, the dam's hydraulic height reaches 8 feet, contributing to a hazard potential rated as high.
Maintained by a private entity, Barre Reservoir Dam falls under the regulatory oversight of the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts. Although the dam's condition assessment is currently rated as poor, it undergoes inspections every two years to ensure its structural integrity. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, the dam's emergency action plan was last revised in 2018, indicating ongoing efforts to address potential safety concerns.
In the realm of water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Barre Reservoir Dam stands out not only as a recreational asset but also as a critical infrastructure in the management of water resources. Its historical significance and ongoing maintenance efforts underscore the importance of sustainable dam management practices in safeguarding both human populations 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 Barre Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ware River Near Barre | 105 cfs | → |
| Ware River At Intake Works Near Barre | 168 cfs | → |
| East Branch Swift River Near Hardwick | 85 cfs | → |
| Otter River At Otter River | 97 cfs | → |
| Birch Hill Reservoir At South Royalston | 30 cfs | → |
| Millers River At South Royalston | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Barre Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Hardwick Road, Hardwick
- Dana Road, Petersham
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- Main Street 2010, Athol
- North Orange Road 52-534, Athol
- River Road Royalston
Campgrounds
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- Beaman Pond Campground
- Otter River State Forest
- East Dennison Camping Area
- Lake Dennison State Park
- North Dennison Camping Area
Paddle runs
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
Track Barre Reservoir 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 Barre Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Barre Reservoir 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 High 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 Barre Reservoir Dam.