River Wall Dam dam
River Wall Dam
River Wall Dam, located in West Milford Township, New Jersey, is a concrete dam built in 1961 along the Pequannock River for recreational purposes. Standing at 26 feet tall and spanning 2020 feet in length, the dam has a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 15 acres. Despite its recreational significance, the dam poses a high hazard potential and has been assessed to be in poor condition, raising concerns about its safety and structural integrity.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, River Wall Dam undergoes regular inspections, with the most recent one conducted in April 2021. With a drainage area of 56.3 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 5600 cubic feet per second, the dam's maintenance and upkeep are crucial to mitigating the risks associated with its high hazard potential. Climate and water resource enthusiasts monitoring the impacts of climate change on dams and water infrastructure in the region may find River Wall Dam an intriguing case study due to its structural vulnerabilities and the potential implications for downstream communities.
As the dam's condition assessment remains poor and its hazard potential high, stakeholders, including local authorities and environmental agencies, may need to prioritize necessary repairs and risk management measures to ensure the safety of nearby residents and maintain the dam's functionality for recreational purposes. The data on River Wall Dam serves as a reminder of the importance of proactive maintenance and monitoring of aging infrastructure in the face of changing climate patterns and increasing stress on water resources.
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 River Wall Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pequannock R At Macopin Intake Dam Nj | 6 cfs | → |
| West Brook Near Wanaque Nj | 6 cfs | → |
| Wanaque R At Wanaque Nj | 13 cfs | → |
| Pequannock River At Riverdale Nj | 12 cfs | → |
| Green Pond Brook At Picatinny Arsenal Nj | 2 cfs | → |
| Ramapo River At Pompton Lakes Nj | 67 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near River Wall Dam.
Boat launches
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Ringwood-Ramapo Trail Ringwood
- Blue Lake Road Town Of Warwick
- Laurel Meadow Drive Town Of Warwick
Track River Wall 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 River Wall Dam
Where does the data for River Wall 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 River Wall Dam.