Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike dam
Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike
Cooper Lake Dam and West Dike, located in Shady, Ulster, New York, serve as crucial components for water supply in the region. Owned by the local government and regulated by the NYS DEC, the dam stands at a height of 40 feet and stretches 460 feet in length. Completed in 1800, this earth-type dam boasts a storage capacity of 3683 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 241 acres, drawing water from the Saw Kill river.
Despite its age, the dam's condition assessment is deemed as poor with a high hazard potential, indicating a pressing need for maintenance and improvements. The spillway, with a width of 24 feet, remains uncontrolled, posing risks in case of extreme discharge events. The inspection frequency is set at 2 years, with the last assessment conducted in April 2020. With a moderate risk rating and a history of modifications undocumented, the dam's risk management measures and emergency action plans are yet to be fully established, raising concerns for potential safety hazards and environmental impacts.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate in the area will find Cooper Lake Dam and West Dike to be a focal point for water supply infrastructure in Ulster, New York. With a rich history dating back to the 1800s, this dam faces challenges in its maintenance and risk management, highlighting the importance of continued monitoring and potential upgrades to ensure the safety and reliability of this vital water resource structure.
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 Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Beaver Kill @ Beechford Nr Mt Tremper Ny | 13 cfs | → |
| Esopus Creek At Coldbrook Ny | 736 cfs | → |
| Woodland Creek Above Mouth At Phoenicia Ny | 25 cfs | → |
| Bush Kill Blw Maltby Hollow Bk At West Shokan Ny | 23 cfs | → |
| West Kill Below Hunter Brook Near Spruceton Ny | 7 cfs | → |
| Esopus Creek At Mount Marion Ny | 140 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike.
Boat launches
- Loop A Town Of Woodstock
- South Partition Street 69, Saugerties
- Tina Chorvas Water Front Park
- Hudson Street Town Of Saugerties
- Ulster Landing Road 808, Town Of Ulster
- Ny 199 Town Of Rhinebeck
Campgrounds
- Kenneth L. Wilson - Dec
- Devils Tombstone - Dec
- Rip Van Winkle Camping
- Koa Camping
- Woodland Valley - Dec
- North/South Lake - Dec
Paddle runs
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
Track Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike 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 Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike
Where does the data for Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike 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 Cooper Lake Dam And West Dike.