West Whately Reservoir Dam dam
West Whately Reservoir Dam
The West Whately Reservoir Dam, located in Whately, Massachusetts, was completed in 1903 and is owned and regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This earth dam, with a height of 23 feet and a hydraulic height of 18 feet, serves as a critical water supply source with a storage capacity of 99 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is water supply, and it sits on the WEST BROOK river, within the Franklin County area.
With a surface area of 20.48 acres and a drainage area of 6.2 square miles, the West Whately Reservoir Dam has a fair condition assessment and a high hazard potential. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, and it has an inspection frequency of every 2 years. The risk assessment for this dam is moderate, with a risk management plan in place to address potential safety concerns. Overall, the West Whately Reservoir Dam plays a crucial role in providing water resources to the community while balancing the need for safety and risk management measures.
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 West Whately Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Deerfield River Near West Deerfield | 1,060 cfs | → |
| South River Near Conway | 21 cfs | → |
| Mill River At Northampton | 43 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Montague City | 20,600 cfs | → |
| Westfield River At Knightville | 162 cfs | → |
| North River At Shattuckville | 85 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Whately Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Kellogg Hill Road, Hatfield
- Mount Tom Road 900-978, Easthampton
- Old Apremont Way, Westfield
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- Water Street 266-334, Springfield
- Red Bridge Road 16, Wilbraham
Campgrounds
- Dar State Forest
- Koa Weathampton
- Barton Cove
- Windsor State Forest
- Chester - Blanford State Forest
- Erving State Forest
Paddle runs
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
Track West Whately Reservoir 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 West Whately Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for West Whately Reservoir 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 West Whately Reservoir Dam.