Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam dam
Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam
Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam, located in Southbridge, Massachusetts, is a local government-owned structure regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Completed in 1938, this Earth dam serves the primary purpose of water supply for the area. With a height of 33 feet and a hydraulic height of 30 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 610 acre-feet, providing essential water resources to the community.
The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, with a width of 0 feet, and it is associated with the Hatchet Brook river. The dam's condition assessment in 2015 deemed it satisfactory, with a significant hazard potential. The risk assessment for the dam is moderate, indicating a need for ongoing monitoring and management measures to ensure its continued safety and functionality in the face of climate challenges and emergency situations.
Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in Worcester County, Massachusetts. With its historical significance and essential function in providing water supply, the dam represents a vital asset in the region's infrastructure. Climate enthusiasts and water resource experts can appreciate the dam's design and purpose in safeguarding water resources for the community while also recognizing the need for continued inspection and risk management to address potential hazards and ensure the dam's long-term resilience in the face of changing environmental 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 Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quinebaug R Bl Westville Dam Nr Southbridge | 159 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 102 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Quinebaug | 161 cfs | → |
| French River At Webster | 7 cfs | → |
| French R At N Grosvenordale | 116 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Oxford | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam.
Boat launches
- Bigelow Pond
- Clark Road Extension 303, Sturbridge
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- South Pond Road 143, Brookfield
- Oxford Road 195-253, Charlton
- Quaboag Street 131-199, Brookfield
Campgrounds
- Brialee
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Highland Campground
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- 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
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Southbridge Reservoir #5 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 Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam
Where does the data for Southbridge Reservoir #5 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 Southbridge Reservoir #5 Dam.