Cottage Street Dam dam
Cottage Street Dam
Cottage Street Dam, located in Easthampton, Massachusetts, was completed in 1957 and serves as a recreational spot for water enthusiasts. The dam, primarily owned by the local government, stands at a height of 24.5 feet with a hydraulic height of 20 feet, creating a storage capacity of 435 acre-feet. It spans 300 feet across the Broad Brook and White Brook rivers, covering a surface area of 30 acres.
Despite its fair condition assessment in 2017, Cottage Street Dam is classified with a high hazard potential and a moderate risk level. The dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety. While the dam currently does not have an Emergency Action Plan meeting guidelines, it is subject to regular inspections every two years to monitor its structural integrity.
With its scenic location and ample storage capacity, Cottage Street Dam offers both recreational opportunities and potential risks for water resource and climate enthusiasts. As a key structure in the New England District, the dam's maintenance and risk management measures are essential to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and ecosystems.
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 Cottage Street Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mill River At Northampton | 37 cfs | → |
| Connecticut R At Interstate 391 Bridge At Holyoke | 17,400 cfs | → |
| Westfield River At Knightville | 149 cfs | → |
| Middle B Westfield River At Goss Heights | 8 cfs | → |
| Chicopee River At Indian Orchard | 1,210 cfs | → |
| Westfield River Near Westfield | 371 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cottage Street Dam.
Boat launches
- Mount Tom Road 900-978, Easthampton
- Old Apremont Way, Westfield
- Kellogg Hill Road, Hatfield
- West Street 121, Springfield
- Water Street 266-334, Springfield
- South End Bridge Agawam
Campgrounds
- Koa Weathampton
- Westover Arb Military
- Chester - Blanford State Forest
- Dar State Forest
- Primitve Camping Area
- Tolland State Forest
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- 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
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
Track Cottage Street 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 Cottage Street Dam
Where does the data for Cottage Street 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 Cottage Street Dam.