Crystal Pond Dam dam
Crystal Pond Dam
Located in Becket, Massachusetts, the Crystal Pond Dam is a private structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. Completed in 1964, this earth dam has a height of 19 feet and a length of 320 feet, creating a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet. Situated on a tributary of Walker Brook, the dam is under state regulation and inspection by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, ensuring its safety and compliance with regulatory standards.
With a spillway type classified as uncontrolled and a hazard potential deemed significant, the Crystal Pond Dam poses a moderate risk, though its condition assessment is listed as fair. The dam has a drainage area of 0.27 square miles and a surface area of 12 acres, providing a scenic environment for water resource and climate enthusiasts to enjoy. Despite its specified purposes for recreation, the dam's risk management measures and emergency action plan status remain undefined, leaving room for potential improvements in safety protocols.
As a notable feature in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, the Crystal Pond Dam stands as a recreational oasis that also warrants attention for its risk potential and regulatory oversight. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate can appreciate the dam's design and purpose while also advocating for enhanced safety measures to mitigate the identified risks. The dam's location and function within the local ecosystem make it a valuable asset that requires ongoing monitoring and management to ensure its continued safe operation for both recreation and environmental preservation.
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 Crystal Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West Branch Westfield River At Huntington | 93 cfs | → |
| Middle B Westfield River At Goss Heights | 8 cfs | → |
| Westfield River At Knightville | 228 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River Near New Boston | 68 cfs | → |
| East Branch Housatonic River At Coltsville | 60 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River Near Great Barrington | 335 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crystal Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway 8 2301-2357, Becket
- Main Road, Tolland
- Laurel Street 515, Lee
- New Lenox Road 350, Lenox
- Beech Road, Richmond
- Lakeway Drive 309-399, Pittsfield
Campgrounds
- Green Point
- Rocky Point
- Chester - Blanford State Forest
- Shaker Camp
- Tolland State Forest
- October Mountain State Forest
Paddle runs
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- The Hartland Headwaters 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
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Crystal 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 Crystal Pond Dam
Where does the data for Crystal 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 Crystal Pond Dam.