Barbours Pond Dam dam
Barbours Pond Dam
Barbours Pond Dam, located in Woodland Park Borough, New Jersey, was completed in 1888 and serves as a vital recreational resource for the local community. Owned by the local government, this Earth-type dam stands at 20 feet high and spans 142 feet in length, impounding Slippery Rock Brook to create a reservoir with a storage capacity of 202 acre-feet. With a significant hazard potential and a fair condition assessment as of July 2020, the dam is regularly inspected by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to ensure public safety.
The dam's primary purpose is recreation, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and wildlife observation in the surrounding area. Spanning across Passaic County, New Jersey, the Barbours Pond Dam is a key feature of the landscape, providing not only recreational benefits but also contributing to the local ecosystem and water resources. As an essential structure regulated by state authorities, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow, mitigating flood risks, and ensuring the sustainability of Slippery Rock Brook and its surrounding environment.
With a rich history dating back over a century, Barbours Pond Dam stands as a testament to the enduring relationship between water resources and human recreation. As climate change continues to impact our natural environment, the maintenance and regulation of dams like Barbours Pond become increasingly important in safeguarding our water supply and preserving the ecological balance of our communities. By upholding high safety standards and embracing sustainable practices, this historic dam remains a cornerstone of water resource management in New Jersey, serving both as a recreational oasis and a guardian of our precious natural heritage.
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 Barbours Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Passaic River At Little Falls Nj | 83 cfs | → |
| Saddle River At Lodi Nj | 41 cfs | → |
| Pompton River At Pompton Plains Nj | 147 cfs | → |
| Saddle River At Ridgewood Nj | 11 cfs | → |
| Passaic River At Pine Brook Nj | 150 cfs | → |
| Second River At Belleville Nj | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Barbours Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Island Avenue Little Falls
- Veterans Court Passaic
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- Riverside Avenue Little Ferry
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- River Barge Park
Track Barbours 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 Barbours Pond Dam
Where does the data for Barbours 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 Barbours Pond Dam.