Round Valley Dike dam
Round Valley Dike
Round Valley Dike, located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, is a state-owned earth dam primarily used for water supply purposes. Completed in 1961, the dam stands at a height of 80 feet and spans 2350 feet, with a storage capacity of 196,600 acre-feet. The reservoir created by the dam covers a surface area of 2300 acres and drains an area of 5.4 square miles through Prescott Brook.
Despite its critical role in water supply, Round Valley Dike is classified as having a high hazard potential and is currently in poor condition as of the last inspection in September 2019. The dam is regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and undergoes regular inspections every two years to ensure its structural integrity. Emergency action plans are in place, although details on their preparation and adherence to guidelines are not provided.
With its strategic location in the Clinton Township and its significant impact on the local water resources, Round Valley Dike serves as a key infrastructure for water management in the region. As climate change continues to pose challenges to water availability and quality, the importance of maintaining and updating dams like Round Valley Dike to meet modern safety standards and adapt to changing environmental conditions becomes increasingly vital for ensuring sustainable water resource management.
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 Round Valley Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sb Rockaway Creek At Whitehouse Station Nj | 73 cfs | → |
| South Branch Raritan River Near High Bridge Nj | 36 cfs | → |
| Spruce Run At Clinton Nj | 16 cfs | → |
| South Branch Raritan River At Stanton Nj | 69 cfs | → |
| Mulhockaway Creek At Van Syckel Nj | 5 cfs | → |
| Lamington (Black) River Near Pottersville Nj | 16 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Round Valley Dike.
Boat launches
- Highlands Trail Union
- Upper Black Eddy
- Kingwood In Nj
- South Main Street Bound Brook
- Pp&Amp;L
- Martins Creek Access Area
Track Round Valley Dike 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 Round Valley Dike
Where does the data for Round Valley Dike 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 Round Valley Dike.