Balch Pond Dam dam
Balch Pond Dam
Balch Pond Dam, located in Ayer, Massachusetts, is owned by the local government and regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction, with additional purposes including fire protection, stock or small fish pond maintenance, and recreational activities. Standing at a height of 12 feet and with a hydraulic height of 11 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 60 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 5.5 acres.
Despite its significant hazard potential and poor condition assessment, Balch Pond Dam is inspected every five years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam, constructed with earth materials and a buttress core type, is designed as an uncontrolled spillway structure. With a drainage area of 3.92 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and reducing flood risks in the region.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate the role of Balch Pond Dam in mitigating flooding and protecting the surrounding community in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. As a locally owned and regulated structure, the dam's importance lies in its ability to maintain normal storage levels and support recreational activities while also addressing the moderate risk level associated with its condition. Continued inspections and risk management measures are essential to ensuring the dam's effectiveness in flood risk reduction and water resource management in the area.
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 Balch Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Squannacook River Near West Groton | 95 cfs | → |
| Nashua River At East Pepperell | 559 cfs | → |
| North Nashua River Near Leominster | 167 cfs | → |
| Nashoba Brook Near Acton | 8 cfs | → |
| Assabet River At Maynard | 67 cfs | → |
| North Nashua River At Fitchburg | 111 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Balch Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Great Road 687, Littleton
- Emerson Drive Littleton
- Harvard Road 314, Stow
- Whalom Lake Public Boat Ramp
- Flint Pond Road, Tyngsborough
- Pawtucket Boulevard 936-970, Lowell
Track Balch 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 Balch Pond Dam
Where does the data for Balch 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 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 Balch Pond Dam.