Popps Mountain Dike dam
Popps Mountain Dike
Popps Mountain Dike, also known as Saugatuck Reservoir, is a concrete dam located in Westport, Connecticut, with a primary purpose of water supply. Completed in 1941, the dam stands at a height of 36 feet and has a length of 670 feet, providing a storage capacity of 42,000 acre-feet. The reservoir has a surface area of 868 acres and drains an area of 34.6 square miles, making it a crucial water resource for the region.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Popps Mountain Dike is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state agency. The dam has a high hazard potential but is currently in satisfactory condition, as assessed in October 2019. In the event of an emergency, the dam is equipped with emergency action plans, although the last revision was in April 2017. With its strategic location on the Saugatuck River and critical role in water supply, the dam remains a central feature in the region's water resource and climate management efforts.
Overall, Popps Mountain Dike serves as a vital infrastructure for water supply in Fairfield County, Connecticut, under the ownership of a public utility. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the dam's reliability and resilience will be key factors in ensuring water security for the surrounding communities. With ongoing inspections and maintenance, along with emergency preparedness measures, Popps Mountain Dike remains a cornerstone in the region's water management infrastructure, safeguarding against potential risks and contributing to sustainable water resource practices.
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 Popps Mountain Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Saugatuck River Near Redding | 8 cfs | → |
| Saugatuck R Nr Westport | 27 cfs | → |
| Mill R Nr Fairfield | 7 cfs | → |
| Sasco Brook Near Southport | 5 cfs | → |
| Norwalk R At South Wilton | 18 cfs | → |
| Rooster River At Fairfield | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Popps Mountain Dike.
Boat launches
- Saugatuck River
- Hillspoint Road Westport
- Roosevelt Road Westport
- Huntington Street Shelton
- Lake Kenosia
- Housatonic River State Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Youth Camp Ii
- Youth Camp Iii
- Youth Camp I
- Mountain Lakes Park
- Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
- 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 Popps Mountain Dike 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 Popps Mountain Dike
Where does the data for Popps Mountain Dike 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 Popps Mountain Dike.