Milford Pond Dam dam
Milford Pond Dam
Milford Pond Dam, located in Swansea, Massachusetts, was completed in 1900 and serves as a crucial structure for flood risk reduction along the Cole River. With a primary purpose of flood risk reduction, this rockfill dam stands at a height of 13 feet and has a drainage area of 11.4 square miles. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, highlighting the need for regular inspections and potential maintenance to ensure its structural integrity.
Owned by the local government and regulated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Milford Pond Dam also provides recreational opportunities for the community. With a normal storage capacity of 123 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 210 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 210 acres and has no spillway. Despite its high risk assessment score of 2, the dam currently lacks an emergency action plan and may require additional risk management measures to mitigate potential hazards and ensure public safety in case of emergencies.
Overall, Milford Pond Dam is a vital infrastructure for flood control in the area, but its poor condition assessment and lack of emergency preparedness raise concerns for local water resource and climate enthusiasts. With ongoing inspections and potential maintenance efforts, the dam can continue to serve its primary purpose while also providing recreational opportunities for the community.
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 Milford Pond 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 Milford Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Brownell Street 2, Fall River
- Bristol Narrows
- Boat Ramp Road Dighton
- Henry Street 1, Fall River
- Walker Farm
- Jefferson Saint Extension, Fall River
Campgrounds
- Camp Hoffman
- Camp Christina Entrance
- Pinewood Lodge & Campgrounds
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
- George Washington State Campground
- Missionary Point
Fishing spots
Track Milford 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 Milford Pond Dam
Where does the data for Milford 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 Milford Pond Dam.