Hayes Pond Dam dam
Hayes Pond Dam
Hayes Pond Dam, located in Grafton, Massachusetts, is a privately owned structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. The dam, constructed of earth with a buttress core type, stands at a height of 12 feet with a hydraulic height of 9 feet. It creates a reservoir with a normal storage capacity of 25 acre-feet and a maximum storage capacity of 75 acre-feet, covering an area of 4.2 acres and draining a watershed area of 5.03 square miles. The dam, built on Bummet Brook, is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts and is inspected with a frequency of 5 years.
Despite its significance for recreation, Hayes Pond Dam is classified as having a significant hazard potential and a poor condition assessment as of the last inspection in May 2013. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway type and lacks outlet gates. While the risk assessment for the dam is moderate, with a rating of 3, there is no detailed risk management plan in place. The congressman representing the area is James P. McGovern, a Democrat. The dam has not undergone any modifications since its completion, and its emergency action plan status, inundation maps, and risk management measures are all unlisted or unknown.
Overall, Hayes Pond Dam presents a complex picture of a recreational structure with potential safety concerns. Its poor condition assessment and significant hazard potential highlight the need for further inspection and potential rehabilitation efforts to ensure public safety and preserve the ecological balance of Bummet Brook and its surrounding area. As a key water resource in Worcester County, Massachusetts, the dam's management and maintenance are crucial for sustainable water management and climate resilience in the region.
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 Hayes Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quinsigamond River At North Grafton | 15 cfs | → |
| Blackstone River | 136 cfs | → |
| Blackstone River At Northbridge | 1,000 cfs | → |
| West River Below West Hill Dam | 1 cfs | → |
| Quinapoxet River At Canada Mills Near Holden | 27 cfs | → |
| French River Below Dam | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hayes Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Brigham Hill Road Grafton
- Oak Island Boat Ramp
- Tamarack Lane 37, Shrewsbury
- Sewell Drive Shrewsbury
- Chauncy Street 19, Westborough
- Emerald Bracelet, Northborough
Campgrounds
- "The Sandpits" Private Hiking And Winter Sports Area
- Minha Casa
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Grotonwood
- Pearl Hill Campground
Paddle runs
Track Hayes 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 Hayes Pond Dam
Where does the data for Hayes 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 Hayes Pond Dam.