Blackwells Mills Dam dam
Blackwells Mills Dam
The Blackwells Mills Dam, located in Somerset, New Jersey, along the Millstone River, plays a crucial role in flood risk reduction in the area. This earth dam, standing at a height of 20 feet and spanning 500 feet in length, provides a storage capacity of 10 acre-feet and covers a drainage area of 0.64 square miles. With its significant hazard potential, the dam is regularly inspected and deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of December 2019.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the Blackwells Mills Dam serves as a vital structure in protecting the surrounding Hillsborough Township from potential flooding events. While the dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, it also acts as a gravity dam, contributing to the overall water management in the region. With its state jurisdiction and enforcement measures in place, the dam remains a key component in ensuring the safety and security of the local community.
As a notable feature in the Congressional District 07 of New Jersey, the Blackwells Mills Dam stands as a testament to effective water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the area. With its strategic location and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam serves as a vital infrastructure in mitigating flood risks and protecting the environment and residents along the Millstone River.
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 Blackwells Mills Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Millstone River At Blackwells Mills Nj | 110 cfs | → |
| Pike Run At Belle Mead Nj | · | → |
| Raritan River At Manville Nj | 228 cfs | → |
| Raritan River Below Calco Dam At Bound Brook Nj | 136 cfs | → |
| Delaware And Raritan Canal At Kingston Nj | 114 cfs | → |
| North Branch Raritan River Near Raritan Nj | 97 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blackwells Mills Dam.
Boat launches
- South Main Street Bound Brook
- Middlesex County
- South 3rd Avenue Highland Park
- River Road Sayreville
- Second Street Perth Amboy
- Raritan Reach Road 28, South Amboy
Track Blackwells Mills 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 Blackwells Mills Dam
Where does the data for Blackwells Mills 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 Blackwells Mills Dam.