West Milford Lake Dam dam
West Milford Lake Dam
West Milford Lake Dam, located in Ringwood, New Jersey, was completed in 1929 and serves as a recreational lake, offering a surface area of 11 acres and a maximum storage capacity of 102 acre-feet. The earth dam stands at a height of 16 feet and stretches 665 feet in length, regulating the flow of Long House Creek. However, despite its picturesque setting, the dam is currently assessed as being in poor condition, with a high hazard potential.
The dam is privately owned and regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. The last inspection in January 2020 indicated a need for maintenance and potential safety concerns, warranting a closer look at risk management measures and emergency action planning. As a critical structure in the region, the West Milford Lake Dam's condition and functionality are crucial factors for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and address to ensure the safety and sustainability of the surrounding community and ecosystems.
With its historical significance and important role in local recreation and water management, West Milford Lake Dam presents a unique opportunity for collaboration between private ownership, state regulators, and concerned citizens to address its current poor condition and high hazard potential. By implementing necessary maintenance and risk management measures, as well as updating emergency action plans, the dam can continue to provide recreational opportunities while safeguarding against potential risks and ensuring the long-term resilience of the surrounding area. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, staying informed and engaged in the upkeep and management of essential infrastructure like West Milford Lake Dam is crucial for protecting our natural resources and communities in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 West Milford Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wanaque River At Awosting Nj | 12 cfs | → |
| West Brook Near Wanaque Nj | 7 cfs | → |
| Ringwood Creek Near Wanaque Nj | 8 cfs | → |
| Wanaque R At Wanaque Nj | 14 cfs | → |
| Pequannock R At Macopin Intake Dam Nj | 14 cfs | → |
| Pequannock River At Riverdale Nj | 29 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Milford Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Blue Lake Road Town Of Warwick
- Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Ringwood
- Laurel Meadow Drive Town Of Warwick
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
Track West Milford 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 West Milford Lake Dam
Where does the data for West Milford 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 West Milford Lake Dam.