Diachishin Lake Dam dam
Diachishin Lake Dam
Diachishin Lake Dam, located in Fostertown, Ulster County, New York, is a private dam primarily used for recreation purposes. Completed in 1962, this earth-type dam stands at a height of 25 feet and spans a length of 240 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 23 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 3 acres, drawing from a drainage area of 0.24 square miles.
Managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Diachishin Lake Dam is classified as having a low hazard potential and a moderate risk level. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 6 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 109 cubic feet per second. Although the dam's condition is currently not rated, it undergoes state inspections, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and compliance with regulatory standards.
The surrounding area offers opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and wildlife observation on Diachishin Lake. With its strategic location along the TR-GIDNEYTOWN CREEK and within close proximity to the Philadelphia District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the dam serves as a vital water resource for the community while also providing a scenic backdrop for visitors to appreciate the intersection of water management and natural beauty.
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 Diachishin Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wallkill River At Gardiner Ny | 286 cfs | → |
| Wappinger Creek Near Wappingers Falls Ny | 120 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River At Richardsville Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| Rondout Creek At Rosendale Ny | 191 cfs | → |
| W Br Croton River Below Dam Near Kent Cliffs Ny | 10 cfs | → |
| Horse Pound Brook Near Lake Carmel Ny | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Diachishin Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Market Street 114, Wappingers Falls
- Old Indian Trail 98, Town Of Marlborough
- Spring Street 51, Wappingers Falls
- State Highway 208 3081, Wallkill
- Farmer's Turnpike Gardiner
- Main Street Poughkeepsie
Campgrounds
- Samuel F. Pryor Iii Shawangunk Gateway Campground
- Winding Hills Park
- Clarence Fahnestock State Park
- Round Pond Military
- Margaret Norrie State Park
- Camping For Hikers On Ballfield Graymoor Center
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
Track Diachishin 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 Diachishin Lake Dam
Where does the data for Diachishin 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 Diachishin Lake Dam.