New Home dam
New Home
Located in Erving, Massachusetts, the New Home Dam is a gravity-type structure completed in 1936 for hydroelectric purposes. With a height of 9 feet and a length of 90 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 530 acre-feet and serves multiple functions including flood risk reduction and recreation. The dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and has a controlled spillway width of 87 feet, with a maximum discharge capacity of 11,250 cubic feet per second.
Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential, the New Home Dam is situated in an area with a very high risk level (1), highlighting the importance of ongoing risk management and emergency preparedness. While the condition assessment of the dam is currently not available, regular inspections are conducted, with the last inspection taking place in May 2018. Additionally, an emergency action plan was last revised in January 2021, indicating a commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of the structure.
With its strategic location on the Millers River and its significant role in generating hydroelectric power, the New Home Dam stands as a key component of the region's water resource infrastructure. Climate enthusiasts and water resource professionals alike can appreciate the complex interplay of factors involved in managing and maintaining this essential piece of infrastructure in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 New Home -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Branch Tully River Near Athol | 5 cfs | → |
| Millers River At Erving | 955 cfs | → |
| Millers River At South Royalston | 39 cfs | → |
| Birch Hill Reservoir At South Royalston | 30 cfs | → |
| West Branch Swift River Near Shutesbury | 20 cfs | → |
| Priest Brook Near Winchendon | 51 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near New Home .
Boat launches
- North Orange Road 52-534, Athol
- Main Street 2010, Athol
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- Doane Hill Road Royalston
- River Road Royalston
- Laurel Lake Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Erving State Forest
- Tully Lake
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- Richardson-Zlogar Cabin
- Falls Brook Shelter
- Barton Cove
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- Headwaters To First Bridge
Track New Home 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 New Home
Where does the data for New Home 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 Low 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 New Home .