Chestnut Ridge Dam dam
Chestnut Ridge Dam
Located in Bethel, Connecticut, Chestnut Ridge Dam, also known as Bethel Reservoir, serves as a crucial water supply source for the area. Completed in 1910, this earth dam stands at a height of 29 feet and stretches 260 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 290 acre-feet. The dam is owned and regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), ensuring that it meets state inspection and enforcement standards.
With a hazard potential classified as high, Chestnut Ridge Dam is deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of its last assessment in August 2020. The dam features a spillway width of 25 feet and has a maximum discharge capacity of 270 cubic feet per second. Despite its age, Chestnut Ridge Dam continues to play a vital role in managing water resources for the Fairfield County region, covering a surface area of 30.2 acres and draining a watershed area of 0.36 square miles.
As a key structure for water supply purposes, Chestnut Ridge Dam stands as a testament to the importance of efficient water management in the face of climate variability and increasing demands. Its presence underscores the need for ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure the safety and reliability of water resources in the region, making it a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts alike.
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 Chestnut Ridge Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Saugatuck River Near Redding | 14 cfs | → |
| Ridgefield Brook At Shields Lane Nr Ridgefield | 3 cfs | → |
| Pootatuck R At Sandy Hook | 27 cfs | → |
| Still River At Route 7 At Brookfield Center | 55 cfs | → |
| East Branch Croton River Near Putnam Lake Ny | 49 cfs | → |
| East Branch Croton River At Brewster Ny | 56 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chestnut Ridge Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Kenosia
- Danbury Boat Launch
- Candlewood Lake (Lattins Cove)
- Lake Lillinonah (Pond Brook)
- Lake Lillinonah
- Lake Zoar
Campgrounds
- Youth Camp I
- Youth Camp Ii
- Youth Camp Iii
- Mountain Lakes Park
- Kettletown State Park
- Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- 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
- 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 Chestnut Ridge 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 Chestnut Ridge Dam
Where does the data for Chestnut Ridge 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 Chestnut Ridge Dam.