Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam dam
Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam
Located in Spencer, Massachusetts, Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam stands as a crucial structure regulating the flow of the Cranberry River. Built in 1939, this earthen dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a serene environment for water enthusiasts to enjoy. With a height of 11 feet and a storage capacity of 450 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 69 acres and holds a normal storage volume of 380 acre-feet.
Despite its historical significance, Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam faces challenges in terms of its condition assessment, marked as poor, and its hazard potential, labeled as significant. The dam's inspection frequency is set at 5 years, with the last assessment conducted in April 2018. The Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts oversees the regulation, inspection, and enforcement of this vital structure to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
As climate change continues to impact water resources, the risk assessment for Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam indicates a moderate level of risk (3 out of 5). While the dam currently meets guidelines for emergency action plans, there is room for improvement in terms of risk management measures and inundation mapping preparedness. As enthusiasts of water resources and climate, it is essential to monitor the upkeep and regulatory efforts surrounding structures like Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam to safeguard both the environment and the community.
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 Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sevenmile River Near Spencer | 15 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Oxford | 4 cfs | → |
| French River Below Dam | 3 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl Westville Dam Nr Southbridge | 142 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 85 cfs | → |
| French River At Webster | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Quaboag Street 131-199, Brookfield
- South Pond Road 143, Brookfield
- Shore Road 83, North Brookfield
- Overlook Drive 16-18, Spencer
- Oxford Road 195-253, Charlton
- Clark Road Extension 303, Sturbridge
Campgrounds
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Brialee
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- "The Sandpits" Private Hiking And Winter Sports Area
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
- 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 Cranberry Meadow Pond 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 Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam
Where does the data for Cranberry Meadow Pond 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 Cranberry Meadow Pond Dam.