Mill Street Dam dam
Mill Street Dam
The Mill Street Dam, also known as Almond Lake Dam, is a concrete structure located in Auburn, New York, along the Owasco River. Built in 1800, this dam serves primarily for hydroelectric purposes, with a height of 25 feet and a length of 280 feet. It has a storage capacity of 137 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 17 acres and draining a watershed area of 203 square miles.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Mill Street Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its uncontrolled spillway and high discharge capacity of up to 1200 cubic feet per second. The dam has two other controlled outlet gates and one slide gate for operational control. While its condition assessment is not available, the dam is inspected annually and has an emergency action plan in place to mitigate any potential risks.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Mill Street Dam offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of hydroelectric infrastructure in New York. With its unique design and significant storage capacity, this dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources and generating clean energy for the surrounding area. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is closely monitored and regulated to ensure the safety of the community and the environment.
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 Mill Street Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Owasco Outlet At Genesee St. | 1,190 cfs | → |
| Seneca River (Erie Canal) Near Port Byron Ny | 7,850 cfs | → |
| Ninemile Creek At Lakeland Ny | 103 cfs | → |
| Onondaga Creek Near Cardiff Ny | 8 cfs | → |
| Harbor Brook At Syracuse Ny | 5 cfs | → |
| Onondaga Cr At Dorwin Ave. | 548 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mill Street Dam .
Boat launches
- Cayuga Lake
- Seneca River
- Lions Parkway Baldwinsville
- Seneca Lake State Park Fayette Town
- Loop The Lake Trail 280, Syracuse
Track Mill Street 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 Mill Street Dam
Where does the data for Mill Street 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 Mill Street Dam .