Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam dam
Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam
Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam, also known as North Branch Park River Site 3, serves as a key flood risk reduction structure in Connecticut. Built in 1962 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 29 feet tall and stretches 4550 feet in length along Wash Brook. Its primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with a normal storage capacity of 1750 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 3200 acre-feet.
Located in Hartford County, Bloomfield, this dam is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity. The dam has an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with a high hazard potential due to its proximity to populated areas. Despite this, the dam's condition assessment in 2015 deemed it satisfactory, with a moderate risk level of 3.
In the event of an emergency, the dam lacks an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and detailed inundation maps. However, it is equipped with a risk management framework to mitigate potential hazards. With its critical role in flood control and its significance in protecting the surrounding community, Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam remains a vital infrastructure for water resource management in Connecticut.
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 Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Farmington River At Tariffville | 410 cfs | → |
| North Branch Park R At Hartford | 11 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook Near West Suffield | 4 cfs | → |
| Hockanum River Near East Hartford | 91 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Unionville | 259 cfs | → |
| Broad Brook At Broad Brook | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam.
Boat launches
- Riverside Road Simsbury
- Rainbow Reservoir
- Bissell Bridge (Connecticut River)
- East River Drive East Hartford
- Wilbur Cross Highway East Hartford
- Farmington River Trail Collinsville
Campgrounds
- Primitve Camping Area
- Beech Grove 5
- Deep Campsite
- Roaring Brook Camp Area
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Reservoir Number 2
- Seymour Reservoir Number 2
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
- 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
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 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 Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam
Where does the data for Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 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 Bloomfield Flood Control Site #3 Dam.