Dorothy Pond Dam dam
Dorothy Pond Dam
Dorothy Pond Dam, located in Millbury, Massachusetts, is a significant earth dam on Dorothy Brook, completed in 1825 for recreational purposes. Standing at a height of 11 feet with a hydraulic height of 8.6 feet, the dam boasts a storage capacity of 1200 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 800 acre-feet. The dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts and is subject to state inspection, enforcement, and permitting.
Despite its age, Dorothy Pond Dam remains in fair condition as of the last assessment in 2016, with a significant hazard potential. The dam has an inspection frequency of 5 years and is equipped with an uncontrolled spillway type. With a moderate risk rating of 3, the dam has not undergone any recent risk management measures or updates to the Emergency Action Plan (EAP). While the dam serves a primary purpose of recreation, its condition and hazard potential emphasize the importance of continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of the surrounding area and water resources.
Dorothy Pond Dam stands as a historic structure in Worcester County, Massachusetts, serving both recreational and regulatory purposes. With its fair condition and significant hazard potential, the dam requires ongoing attention and adherence to state regulations to mitigate risk and protect the local community and environment. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the complexities of dam management and maintenance at sites like Dorothy Pond Dam is crucial for safeguarding our waterways and ensuring the sustainable use of these valuable resources.
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 Dorothy Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Blackstone River | 113 cfs | → |
| Quinsigamond River At North Grafton | 15 cfs | → |
| Blackstone River At Northbridge | 1,000 cfs | → |
| French River Below Dam | 3 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Oxford | 4 cfs | → |
| West River Below West Hill Dam | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dorothy Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Oak Island Boat Ramp
- Brigham Hill Road Grafton
- South Street 178-198, Auburn
- Tamarack Lane 37, Shrewsbury
- Sewell Drive Shrewsbury
- Torrey Road 22, Sutton
Campgrounds
- "The Sandpits" Private Hiking And Winter Sports Area
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- Minha Casa
- George Washington State Campground
- Grotonwood
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
Paddle runs
Track Dorothy 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 Dorothy Pond Dam
Where does the data for Dorothy 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 Dorothy Pond Dam.