Lake Mattawa North Dam dam
Lake Mattawa North Dam
Lake Mattawa North Dam, located in Orange, Massachusetts, serves as a vital recreational resource for the community. The dam, primarily owned by the local government, stands at a height of 15 feet and has a hydraulic height of 14 feet, providing a storage capacity of 928 acre-feet. The dam creates a surface area of 110 acres and supports various recreational activities such as boating, fishing, and swimming.
Despite its importance for recreation, the dam is classified as having a significant hazard potential and poor condition assessment, indicating the need for regular inspections and maintenance. The Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts oversees the regulatory aspects of the dam, ensuring that it meets state permitting and inspection requirements. The dam lacks a spillway, which may pose a risk in case of excess water flow, highlighting the importance of implementing risk management measures to enhance safety.
With its scenic location and integral role in providing recreational opportunities, Lake Mattawa North Dam serves as a valuable asset for both locals and visitors. However, the dam's condition assessment and hazard potential underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and sustainability of this essential water resource in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Lake Mattawa North Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Millers River At Erving | 838 cfs | → |
| East Branch Tully River Near Athol | 5 cfs | → |
| West Branch Swift River Near Shutesbury | 18 cfs | → |
| Millers River At South Royalston | 39 cfs | → |
| Birch Hill Reservoir At South Royalston | 30 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Montague City | 16,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Mattawa North Dam.
Boat launches
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- North Orange Road 52-534, Athol
- Main Street 2010, Athol
- Doane Hill Road Royalston
- River Road Royalston
- Dana Road, Petersham
Campgrounds
- Erving State Forest
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- Tully Lake
- Richardson-Zlogar Cabin
- Barton Cove
- Falls Brook Shelter
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Lake Mattawa North 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 Lake Mattawa North Dam
Where does the data for Lake Mattawa North 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 Lake Mattawa North Dam.