Highlands Forge Lake Dam dam
Highlands Forge Lake Dam
Highlands Forge Lake Dam, also known as Warm Pond, is a private dam located in Essex County, New York. Built in 1911, this concrete dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, with a height of 8 feet and a length of 76 feet. It has a storage capacity of 446 acre-feet and a surface area of 134 acres, making it a popular spot for outdoor activities.
Managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Highlands Forge Lake Dam is regulated, permitted, and inspected to ensure its safety and proper functioning. Despite being classified with a low hazard potential, the dam is considered to have a very high risk due to its age and condition assessment not yet rated. The spillway width is 5 feet, and the dam is situated along the TR-Lake Champlain river system.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Highlands Forge Lake Dam offers a fascinating blend of history, engineering, and environmental management. As a key feature in the region's recreational landscape, this concrete structure serves as a reminder of our complex relationship with water resources and the importance of maintaining and monitoring dams for both safety and enjoyment.
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 Highlands Forge Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bouquet River At Willsboro Ny | 437 cfs | → |
| Ausable River Near Au Sable Forks Ny | 1,090 cfs | → |
| Potash Br @ Queen City Park Rd | 116 cfs | → |
| Englesby Brook At Burlington | 15 cfs | → |
| Laplatte River At Shelburne Falls | 76 cfs | → |
| E Br Ausable River At Au Sable Forks Ny | 454 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Highlands Forge Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Port Douglas Boat Launch
- Beach Road 353, Shelburne
- Shelburne Bay Boat Ramp
- Fishing Access Road Charlotte
- Burlington Waterfront Boat Ramp
- Pond Access Road Shelburne
Campgrounds
- Poke-O-Moonshine - Dec
- Ausable Point - Dec
- North Beach
- Primitive Campsite 15
- Primitive Campsite 16
- Primitive Campsite 20
Fishing spots
Track Highlands Forge 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 Highlands Forge Lake Dam
Where does the data for Highlands Forge 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 Low 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 Highlands Forge Lake Dam.