South Meadows Dike dam
South Meadows Dike
South Meadows Dike, also known as Hartford Fcs Connecticut River, is a crucial flood risk reduction structure located in Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the local government, this earth dam stands at a height of 43 feet and stretches over 11,400 feet along the Connecticut River. Its primary purpose is to mitigate flooding in the area, making it a vital asset for water resource management and climate resilience efforts.
Managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), South Meadows Dike is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced to ensure its effectiveness in flood control. With a hazard potential rated as high, this structure plays a key role in protecting the surrounding communities from potential inundation. While the condition assessment is currently not rated, the dike undergoes regular inspections to ensure its integrity and operational readiness in case of emergencies.
Despite not having a designated completion year or storage capacity, South Meadows Dike remains a critical infrastructure for flood risk reduction in the region. With its strategic location and design, this dike serves as a bulwark against the forces of nature, highlighting the importance of proactive management and maintenance of water resources in the face of a changing climate.
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 South Meadows Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Hockanum River Near East Hartford | 94 cfs | → |
| North Branch Park R At Hartford | 11 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Unionville | 336 cfs | → |
| Broad Brook At Broad Brook | 22 cfs | → |
| Farmington River At Tariffville | 666 cfs | → |
| Connecticut R At Middle Haddam | 47,100 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near South Meadows Dike.
Boat launches
- Wilbur Cross Highway East Hartford
- East River Drive East Hartford
- New State Road Trail Manchester
- Bissell Bridge (Connecticut River)
- Batterson Park Pond
- Main Street 204, Cromwell
Campgrounds
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
- Begins Below The Tailrace Of The Lower Collinsville Dam To The Route 187 Bridge
- 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
- The Hartland Headwaters To The Confluence With The Salmon Brook Main Stem
Track South Meadows 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 South Meadows Dike
Where does the data for South Meadows 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 South Meadows Dike.