Indian Lake Dam dam
Indian Lake Dam
Indian Lake Dam, located in Becket, Massachusetts, is a privately owned earth dam built in 1975 primarily for recreational purposes. Standing at a height of 15.2 meters with a hydraulic height of 12 meters, the dam impounds Spark Brook and creates a reservoir with a maximum storage capacity of 621 acre-feet. With a surface area of 67.8 acres and a drainage area of 1.29 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in providing water for recreational activities in the area.
The dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite being classified as having a high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment as of October 2016 was deemed satisfactory. The risk assessment for the dam is moderate, with measures in place to manage potential risks and ensure the safety of the surrounding area in case of emergencies.
Indian Lake Dam serves as a vital structure for recreational activities and water resource management in the Berkshire County of Massachusetts. With its controlled spillway type and uncontrolled spillway width, the dam provides a safe and enjoyable environment for residents and visitors alike. The presence of regulatory agencies and inspections further highlights the importance placed on maintaining the dam's integrity and ensuring its continued operation for the benefit of 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 Indian Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West Branch Westfield River At Huntington | 79 cfs | → |
| Middle B Westfield River At Goss Heights | 8 cfs | → |
| Westfield River At Knightville | 185 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River Near New Boston | 59 cfs | → |
| Hubbard River Nr. West Hartland | 14 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River Near Great Barrington | 299 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Indian Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway 8 2301-2357, Becket
- Main Road, Tolland
- Laurel Street 515, Lee
- New Lenox Road 350, Lenox
- Howells Pond
- Wood Creek Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Green Point
- Rocky Point
- Chester - Blanford State Forest
- Tolland State Forest
- Shaker Camp
- October Mountain State Forest
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Papermill Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Squantz Pond
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
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Indian Lake 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 Indian Lake Dam
Where does the data for Indian Lake 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 Indian Lake Dam.