Swansea Print Works Dam dam
Swansea Print Works Dam
Swansea Print Works Dam, located in Swansea, Massachusetts, stands as a historic gravity dam built in 1900 on the Lee River. The dam, with a height of 15 feet and a length of 275 feet, serves multiple purposes including water supply and others. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently poor, indicating a need for maintenance and repairs to ensure its structural integrity.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Swansea Print Works Dam is regulated and inspected by the state of Massachusetts. With a normal storage capacity of 25 acre-feet and a drainage area of 3.1 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area. Although the risk assessment is high, with a rating of 2, the dam's emergency action plan and risk management measures are not specified, suggesting a need for further preparedness and mitigation strategies to address potential hazards.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Swansea Print Works Dam's historical significance, combined with its functional role in water supply and regulation, makes it a compelling site to study and monitor. With its unique design, critical condition assessment, and high risk rating, the dam exemplifies the importance of proactive maintenance and emergency preparedness in safeguarding water resources and ensuring public safety in the face of potential 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 Swansea Print Works Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Segreganset River Near Dighton | 4 cfs | → |
| Threemile River At North Dighton | 63 cfs | → |
| Ten Mile River At Pawtucket Ave @ E Providence | 49 cfs | → |
| Moshassuck River At Providence | 15 cfs | → |
| Pawtuxet River At Cranston | 170 cfs | → |
| Blackstone R At Roosevelt St At Pawtucket Ri | 520 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Swansea Print Works Dam.
Track Swansea Print Works 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 Swansea Print Works Dam
Where does the data for Swansea Print Works 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 Swansea Print Works Dam.