Porter Reservoir Dam dam
Porter Reservoir Dam
Porter Reservoir Dam, located in Manchester, Connecticut, was completed in 1902 and serves as a vital water supply source for the area. Owned by the local government, this earth dam stands at a height of 32 feet and spans a length of 600 feet, with a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet. The dam is situated on Porter Brook Trib, and its primary purpose is to provide water supply to the region.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Porter Reservoir Dam is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam's spillway, with a width of 20 feet, is uncontrolled, and the hazard potential is classified as significant, although the condition assessment is currently reported as satisfactory. With a moderate risk level, risk management measures are in place, and the dam is monitored to address any potential issues that may arise.
Despite its age, Porter Reservoir Dam continues to play a crucial role in water resource management in the region, demonstrating the importance of maintaining and monitoring infrastructure to ensure the safety and sustainability of water supplies in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Porter Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Hockanum River Near East Hartford | 82 cfs | → |
| Broad Brook At Broad Brook | 18 cfs | → |
| North Branch Park R At Hartford | 9 cfs | → |
| Willimantic River Near Coventry | 163 cfs | → |
| Natchaug River At Willimantic | 248 cfs | → |
| Salmon River Near East Hampton | 88 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Porter Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Bolton Lake (Lower)
- New State Road Trail Manchester
- Bissell Bridge (Connecticut River)
- Wilbur Cross Highway East Hartford
- Holbrook Pond
- East River Drive East Hartford
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Trout Hatchery
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Toms Creek
- Twotree Island Channel
- Lake Quassapaug
Paddle runs
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Rainbow Dam To The Confluence With The Connecticut River
- The Confluence Of The East And West Branches To The Confluence With The Farmington River In East Granby
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Porter Reservoir 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 Porter Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Porter Reservoir 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 Significant 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 Porter Reservoir Dam.