Woods Pond Dam dam
Woods Pond Dam
Woods Pond Dam, located in Middleborough, Massachusetts, is a privately owned structure that plays a crucial role in irrigation. This earth dam, with a height of 6.8 feet and a hydraulic height of 4 feet, regulates Woods Brook's flow and provides a storage capacity of 179.7 acre-feet. The dam, constructed with a buttress core type, has a significant hazard potential but is currently assessed as being in fair condition as of the last inspection in June 2013.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Woods Pond Dam is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. It serves as a vital resource for the surrounding area, with a normal storage capacity of 101.6 acre-feet and a surface area of 50.8 acres. While the dam has not been modified in recent years and lacks certain emergency preparedness measures, its risk assessment is moderate, highlighting the importance of ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure its safe operation.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Woods Pond Dam provides a fascinating case study in dam management and regulation. Its role in irrigation, combined with its unique design features and state oversight, offers insights into the complexities of maintaining water infrastructure in a changing climate. As efforts to address water scarcity and climate resilience continue to grow, understanding the challenges and opportunities presented by structures like Woods Pond Dam is essential for sustainable water resource management.
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 Woods Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Taunton River Near Bridgewater | 251 cfs | → |
| Jones River At Kingston | 19 cfs | → |
| Threemile River At North Dighton | 90 cfs | → |
| Indian Head River At Hanover | 32 cfs | → |
| Segreganset River Near Dighton | 6 cfs | → |
| Wading River Near Norton | 36 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Woods Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Monponsett Street 470-556, Halifax
- Lakeside Drive 62-136, Bridgewater
- 11th Avenue 22, Wareham
- Oak Street 30, Wareham
- Indian Head Drive 1-307, Hanover
- Boat Ramp Road Dighton
Track Woods 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 Woods Pond Dam
Where does the data for Woods 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 Woods Pond Dam.