Grist Mill Pond Dam dam
Grist Mill Pond Dam
Grist Mill Pond Dam, located in Sudbury, Massachusetts, was completed in 1800 and serves as a crucial structure for recreational purposes. The earth dam, with a height of 18 feet and a hydraulic height of 14 feet, stands on the Hop Brook river and provides a storage capacity of 150.3 acre-feet. Despite its historical significance, the dam's condition assessment in 2009 revealed poor maintenance, indicating a potential risk to the surrounding area.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts, the Grist Mill Pond Dam is regulated and inspected by the state agency to ensure public safety and compliance with environmental regulations. With a low hazard potential but a moderate risk rating, the dam highlights the importance of regular maintenance and risk management measures to prevent any potential disasters. While the dam's condition assessment may raise concerns, it also presents an opportunity for stakeholders to address the issues and improve the structure's resilience for future generations of water resource and climate enthusiasts to enjoy.
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 Grist Mill Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sudbury River At Saxonville | 112 cfs | → |
| Assabet River At Maynard | 95 cfs | → |
| Lake Cochituate Outlet At Framingham | 25 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook At Rt 20 At Waltham | 27 cfs | → |
| Hobbs Bk Below Cambridge Res Nr Kendall Green | 7 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook Reservoir At Dam Near Waltham | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Grist Mill Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Lakeview Avenue 98, Framingham
- Green Way Wayland
- Dudley Road 43, Wayland
- Commonwealth Road 39, Natick
- Seymour Street 1a, Concord
- South Great Road Lincoln
Track Grist Mill 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 Grist Mill Pond Dam
Where does the data for Grist Mill 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 Low 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 Grist Mill Pond Dam.