Rizzo Pond Dam dam
Rizzo Pond Dam
Rizzo Pond Dam, located in New Hartford, Connecticut, along the Finnak Brook, is a privately owned structure with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1964 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 18 feet and stretches 400 feet in length, creating a surface area of 7.3 acres and a storage capacity of 58 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and is subject to state permitting, inspection, and enforcement.
With a spillway width of 72 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 712 cubic feet per second, Rizzo Pond Dam has a significant hazard potential and a moderate risk rating of 3. Despite being in operation for over five decades, the dam's condition has not been officially assessed. While there are no associated emergency action plans or inundation maps prepared, the dam is regularly inspected every 7 years to ensure its safety and integrity. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is important to monitor the management and maintenance of Rizzo Pond Dam to protect the surrounding community and environment from any potential risks or hazards.
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 Rizzo Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington Brook Near Burlington | 4 cfs | → |
| West Branch Farmington River At Riverton | 129 cfs | → |
| Still River At Robertsville | 50 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Unionville | 259 cfs | → |
| Hubbard River Nr. West Hartland | 7 cfs | → |
| Naugatuck River At Thomaston | 72 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rizzo Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- West Hill Pond Boat Launch
- Burr Pond
- Highland Lake
- Farmington River Trail Collinsville
- Winchester Lake
- Howells Pond
Campgrounds
- Camp Sequassen
- Camp Workcoeman
- Deep Campsite
- James Stocking Youth Group Camping Area
- Haws Memorial - American Legion State Forest
- White Pines Campsites
Fishing spots
- Great Brook Reservoir
- Lower Fulton Park Pond
- Lake Quassapaug
- Seymour Reservoir Number 4
- Papermill Pond
- Reservoir Number 2
Paddle runs
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
- The Confluence With The Nepaug River To A Point 0.2 Miles Below The Lower Collinsville Dam Tailrace
- 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
- 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
Track Rizzo 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 Rizzo Pond Dam
Where does the data for Rizzo 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 Rizzo Pond Dam.