Wallace Pond Dam dam
Wallace Pond Dam
Wallace Pond Dam, located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, serves as a crucial structure for flood risk reduction along the Hamant Brook. Built in 1950, this earth dam stands at a height of 15 feet and has a length of 100 feet, providing a storage capacity of 299 acre-feet. With a low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts.
The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with a spillway type listed as uncontrolled. Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, Wallace Pond Dam has not been modified in recent years and has a regular inspection frequency of 10 years to ensure its continued safety and functionality. The dam's location in Worcester County, Massachusetts, underscores its importance in protecting the surrounding area from potential flooding events, highlighting the critical role of water resource management in maintaining community safety and resilience in the face of climate change.
As a state-regulated structure with a specified emergency action plan, Wallace Pond Dam exemplifies the proactive approach taken by Massachusetts in managing its water resources. With a surface area of 30 acres and a drainage area of 1.2 square miles, the dam plays a vital role in mitigating flood risks and safeguarding the local environment. Its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment underscore the diligence and effectiveness of the regulatory agencies involved in overseeing its operations, ensuring the continued protection of the community and surrounding areas from potential water-related threats.
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 Wallace Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Quinebaug R Bl Westville Dam Nr Southbridge | 159 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug R Bl E Brimfield Dam At Fiskdale | 102 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Quinebaug | 161 cfs | → |
| Quaboag River At West Brimfield | 259 cfs | → |
| French River At Webster | 7 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Oxford | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wallace Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Bigelow Pond
- Clark Road Extension 303, Sturbridge
- Wilbur Cross Highway Union
- South Pond Road 143, Brookfield
- Quaboag Street 131-199, Brookfield
- Oxford Road 195-253, Charlton
Campgrounds
- Brialee
- Wilderness Lake Campground
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- George Washington State Campground
- Westover Arb Military
- Highland Campground
Fishing spots
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 Wallace 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 Wallace Pond Dam
Where does the data for Wallace 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 Low 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 Wallace Pond Dam.