Pocahontas Dam dam
Pocahontas Dam
Pocahontas Dam, located in Morris County, New Jersey, is a concrete dam completed in 1920 on the Whippany River. With a height of 11.3 feet and a length of 168 feet, the dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water-based activities. The reservoir created by Pocahontas Dam has a normal storage capacity of 39 acre-feet, providing a serene escape for locals and visitors alike.
Despite its age, Pocahontas Dam is regularly inspected and maintained to ensure its safety and structural integrity. The dam has a high hazard potential, but its condition assessment as of October 2021 was rated as fair. Emergency action plans are in place, with inspections conducted every two years to address any potential risks or issues that may arise. The dam's location in Morristown, with easy access to surrounding areas, makes it a valuable water resource for the community and an important site for climate enthusiasts interested in the intersection of water management and recreation.
In addition to its recreational benefits, Pocahontas Dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and providing flood protection for the region. With a drainage area of 25.3 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 1565 cubic feet per second, the dam helps mitigate the risk of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The reservoir created by the dam covers a surface area of 15 acres and has a total storage capacity of 74 acre-feet, making it an essential component of the local water infrastructure. As climate change impacts become more pronounced, the importance of sustainable water resource management, exemplified by Pocahontas Dam, only continues to grow.
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 Pocahontas Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Whippany River At Morristown Nj | 22 cfs | → |
| Whippany River Near Morristown Nj | 7 cfs | → |
| Passaic River Near Chatham Nj | 29 cfs | → |
| Whippany River Near Pine Brook Nj | 32 cfs | → |
| Rockaway River Above Reservoir At Boonton Nj | 472 cfs | → |
| Canoe Brook Near Summit Nj | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pocahontas Dam.
Boat launches
- Dell Avenue 9, Netcong
- Island Avenue Little Falls
- Jefferson Lake Road Sussex County
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- South Main Street Bound Brook
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
Track Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas Dam
Where does the data for Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas Dam.