Bissonette Pond Dam dam
Bissonette Pond Dam
Bissonette Pond Dam, located in Willington, Connecticut, serves as a picturesque recreational spot along the Fenton River. This masonry dam, completed in 1930, stands at a height of 6 feet and spans 250 feet, creating a storage capacity of 200 acre-feet and a surface area of 50 acres. The dam is state-regulated and inspected regularly by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to ensure its structural integrity and safety.
With a spillway width of 31 feet and a maximum discharge of 223 cubic feet per second, Bissonette Pond Dam is designed to manage water flow during periods of high precipitation. Despite being classified as a dam with a significant hazard potential, its condition assessment in 2015 deemed it satisfactory, with a moderate risk rating. The dam's purpose primarily revolves around recreation, attracting water resource and climate enthusiasts to its serene surroundings for activities like fishing, boating, and nature observation.
Although Bissonette Pond Dam does not fall under federal ownership or funding, its vital role in water management and recreation in the region highlights the importance of private ownership in maintaining and managing infrastructure. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the proper regulation and maintenance of dams like Bissonette Pond are crucial in ensuring the safety and sustainability of water systems for both human and environmental needs.
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 Bissonette Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Hope River Near Warrenville | 40 cfs | → |
| Willimantic River Near Coventry | 160 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 102 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl Westville Dam Nr Southbridge | 159 cfs | → |
| Natchaug River At Willimantic | 231 cfs | → |
| Little River At Harrisville | 29 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bissonette Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- Bigelow Pond
- Mansfield Hollow Dam
- Coventry Lake
- Pine Acres Lake
- Bolton Lake (Lower)
Campgrounds
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Brialee
- Highland Campground
- Beech Grove 5
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
Fishing spots
- Trout Hatchery
- Lake Washington Fishing Area
- Baker Cove
- Mumford Cove
- Twotree Island Channel
- Great Brook Reservoir
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 Massachusetts-Connecticut State Line In Hartland To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
- 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 Bissonette 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 Bissonette Pond Dam
Where does the data for Bissonette 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 Bissonette Pond Dam.