Vorces Pond Dam dam
Vorces Pond Dam
Vorces Pond Dam is a significant earth dam located in Orange, Massachusetts, with a hydraulic height of 9 feet and a total height of 11.5 feet. Built in 1892, the dam serves as a vital structure for water resource management, with a storage capacity of 22.5 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 10.5 acre-feet. The dam covers a surface area of 1.2 acres and has a drainage area of 1.07 square miles.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Vorces Pond Dam is inspected every 5 years to ensure its structural integrity. The dam has been assessed to be in fair condition, with a significant hazard potential. Despite its age, the dam still serves its primary purpose efficiently and plays a crucial role in water management in the area. Climate and water resource enthusiasts will find Vorces Pond Dam to be an important piece of infrastructure that highlights the intersection of historical engineering and environmental conservation.
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 Vorces Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Millers River At Erving | 1,210 cfs | → |
| East Branch Tully River Near Athol | 5 cfs | → |
| West Branch Swift River Near Shutesbury | 28 cfs | → |
| Millers River At South Royalston | 39 cfs | → |
| Birch Hill Reservoir At South Royalston | 30 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Montague City | 36,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Vorces Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Regulating Dam Road, New Salem
- North Orange Road 52-534, Athol
- Main Street 2010, Athol
- Doane Hill Road Royalston
- River Road Royalston
- Dana Road, Petersham
Campgrounds
- Erving State Forest
- Federated Womens' Club State Forest Primitive Campsite
- Tully Lake
- Richardson-Zlogar Cabin
- Barton Cove
- Falls Brook Shelter
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Vorces 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 Vorces Pond Dam
Where does the data for Vorces 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 Vorces Pond Dam.