Whaley Lake Dam dam
Whaley Lake Dam
Whaley Lake Dam, located in West Pawling, New York, holds back the waters of Whaley Lake Stream for recreational purposes. This earth dam, completed in 1850, stands at a height of 19 feet and has a length of 330 feet. With a storage capacity of 4854 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 3559 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 259 acres and drains a 3.67 square mile watershed. The spillway, with a width of 30 feet, is uncontrolled, posing a high hazard potential.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the NYS DEC, Whaley Lake Dam underwent its last inspection in August 2019, with a satisfactory condition assessment. Despite its moderate risk rating, emergency action plans and risk management measures are not explicitly detailed in the available data. Positioned within the Dutchess County, New York, the dam serves as a crucial recreational resource while also contributing to the local hydrological landscape. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Whaley Lake Dam presents an interesting case study in dam infrastructure and management.
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 Whaley Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Horse Pound Brook Near Lake Carmel Ny | 2 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River At Richardsville Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| Tenmile River Near Gaylordsville | 156 cfs | → |
| W Br Croton River Below Dam Near Kent Cliffs Ny | 10 cfs | → |
| East Branch Croton River Near Putnam Lake Ny | 27 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Gaylordsville | 886 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Whaley Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Squantz Pond
- Old Bogus Road 4, New Fairfield
- South Kent Road Kent
- Grove Street 251, New Milford
- Spring Street 51, Wappingers Falls
- Market Street 114, Wappingers Falls
Campgrounds
- Clarence Fahnestock State Park
- Schaghticoke Mountain Camping Area
- Macedonia Brook State Park
- Sr4
- Sr3
- Lake Waramaug State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- 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
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
Track Whaley Lake 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 Whaley Lake Dam
Where does the data for Whaley Lake 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 Whaley Lake Dam.