Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam dam
Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam
Located in Georgetown, Massachusetts, the Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam is a crucial structure managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. This earth dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, providing a serene backdrop for activities along the Parker River. With a height of 9.35 feet and a storage capacity of 620 acre-feet, the dam plays a significant role in regulating water levels in the area, ensuring a balance between conservation and recreation.
Despite its satisfactory condition assessment in 2016, the Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam poses a significant hazard potential due to its uncontrolled spillway type. Regular inspections are conducted every 5 years to assess its structural integrity and potential risks. The dam's moderate risk assessment indicates the importance of ongoing risk management measures to prevent any potential emergencies and ensure the safety of surrounding communities.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find the Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam to be a fascinating structure that highlights the intersection of environmental conservation and recreational activities. Its location along the Parker River, combined with its significant storage capacity and potential risks, make it a noteworthy site for further study and monitoring in the realm of water resource management and climate resilience.
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 Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Parker River At Byfield | 19 cfs | → |
| Ipswich River Near Ipswich | 111 cfs | → |
| Spicket River Near Methuen | 28 cfs | → |
| Ipswich River At South Middleton | 16 cfs | → |
| Spicket River At North Salem | 0 cfs | → |
| Shawsheen River Near Wilmington | 15 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam.
Boat launches
- West Main Street 206, Georgetown
- Stiles Pond Road 4.0, Boxford
- Boxford Road 41-43, Ipswich
- South River Street, Haverhill
- Newburyport Turnpike 290-304, Newbury
- Stanley Drive 2-4, Haverhill
Track Pentucket Pond Outlet 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 Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam
Where does the data for Pentucket Pond Outlet 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 Pentucket Pond Outlet Dam.