Lee's Pond Dam dam
Lee's Pond Dam
Lee's Pond Dam, located in Westport, Connecticut, is a historic masonry dam completed in 1903 with a primary purpose of recreation. The dam stands at a height of 18 feet and spans 275 feet, creating a storage capacity of 152 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the Saugatuck River and serves as a vital resource for the surrounding community, offering opportunities for water-based activities and scenic views.
Despite its significant hazard potential, Lee's Pond Dam is currently in poor condition, as assessed during the last inspection in June 2020. The dam is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam's emergency action plan (EAP) was last revised in 1998, raising concerns about its readiness in the event of a crisis.
Given its poor condition and significant hazard potential, Lee's Pond Dam presents challenges that require timely attention and maintenance to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and the preservation of its recreational value. With ongoing monitoring and risk management measures, efforts can be made to address the dam's condition and enhance its resilience in the face of changing climate conditions and potential hazards.
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 Lee's Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Saugatuck R Nr Westport | 27 cfs | → |
| Norwalk R At South Wilton | 18 cfs | → |
| Sasco Brook Near Southport | 5 cfs | → |
| Mill R Nr Fairfield | 7 cfs | → |
| Rooster River At Fairfield | 8 cfs | → |
| Fivemile River Near New Canaan | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lee's Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Saugatuck River
- Hillspoint Road Westport
- Roosevelt Road Westport
- Housatonic River State Boat Launch
- Huntington Street Shelton
- Seagate Road 3, Greenwich
Campgrounds
- Youth Camp Ii
- Youth Camp Iii
- Youth Camp I
- Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
- Mountain Lakes Park
- Kettletown State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- 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
Track Lee's Pond 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 Lee's Pond Dam
Where does the data for Lee's Pond 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 Lee's Pond Dam.