Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam dam
Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam
Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam, also known as Beaver Brook Reservoir Dam, is a crucial water supply infrastructure located in Ansonia, Connecticut. Built in 1925, this concrete dam stands at a height of 41 feet and stretches 530 feet in length, holding a maximum storage capacity of 1990 acre-feet. The reservoir covers 60 acres and serves as a primary source of water for the region, with a normal storage capacity of 1660 acre-feet. However, recent assessments have indicated a poor condition of the dam, highlighting a high hazard potential.
Managed by the state regulatory agency and subject to regular inspections, Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam is designated as a state-regulated structure with necessary permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety. The dam's spillway, of uncontrolled type with a width of 20 feet, has a maximum discharge capacity of 600 cubic feet per second. Despite the moderate risk assessment rating, the dam's high hazard potential and poor condition underscore the importance of ongoing maintenance and potential risk management measures to safeguard the surrounding communities and water resources.
With its location in New Haven County and the Beaver Brook river/stream, the Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam represents a critical piece of infrastructure that requires attention and investment to address its current condition and potential risks. As climate change impacts continue to affect water resources, ensuring the resilience and safety of such structures becomes paramount 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 Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Naugatuck River At Beacon Falls | 814 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Stevenson | 484 cfs | → |
| Mill R Nr Hamden | 90 cfs | → |
| Pomperaug River At Southbury | 153 cfs | → |
| Pootatuck R At Sandy Hook | 59 cfs | → |
| Quinnipiac River At Wallingford | 382 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Housatonic
- Main Street Hamden
- Huntington Street Shelton
- Sackett Point Road North Haven
- April Street 3, West Haven
- Quinnipiac River Front St Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- Quillinan Reservoir
- Fountain Lake Reservoir
- Picketts Pond
- Lake Housatonic
- Carrington Pond
- Seymour Reservoir Number 1
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
- 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
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Peat Swamp 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 Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Peat Swamp 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 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 Peat Swamp Reservoir Dam.