Crystal Spring Lake Dam dam
Crystal Spring Lake Dam
Crystal Spring Lake Dam, located in Ramsey Borough, New Jersey, is a vital structure for irrigation purposes on Ramsey Brook. Built in 1900, this earth dam stands at a height of 12 feet and has a length of 550 feet, providing a storage capacity of 65 acre-feet. With a drainage area of 1.7 square miles, the dam has a maximum discharge capacity of 450 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the local government, Crystal Spring Lake Dam is state-regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in August 2021. With a mandated inspection frequency of every two years, the dam continues to meet safety standards and is equipped with emergency action plans to mitigate any potential risks.
Congressional District 05, represented by Josh S. Gottheimer, oversees the regulatory aspects of Crystal Spring Lake Dam. The dam's location in Bergen County, New Jersey, highlights its significance in water resource management and climate resilience efforts. As an essential infrastructure for irrigation, this dam plays a crucial role in sustaining the local ecosystem and supporting agricultural activities 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 Crystal Spring Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Saddle River At Upper Saddle River Nj | 3 cfs | → |
| Hohokus Brook At Ho-Ho-Kus Nj | 20 cfs | → |
| Ramapo River Near Mahwah Nj | 65 cfs | → |
| Saddle River At Ridgewood Nj | 11 cfs | → |
| Pascack Brook At Park Ridge Nj | 7 cfs | → |
| Ramapo River At Suffern Ny | 35 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crystal Spring Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Ringwood
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Blue Lake Road Town Of Warwick
- Laurel Meadow Drive Town Of Warwick
Campgrounds
- Beaver Pond - Harriman State Park
- Beaver Pond Campsite
- Croton Point Park
- Camp Lewis
- Blue Mountain Reservation
- Rock Lodge Club
Fishing spots
Track Crystal Spring 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 Crystal Spring Lake Dam
Where does the data for Crystal Spring 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 Crystal Spring Lake Dam.