Lower Pawtucket Locks dam
Lower Pawtucket Locks
The Lower Pawtucket Locks, also known as Lower Pawtucket Canal Dam, is a historic masonry structure located in Lowell, Massachusetts. Completed in 1822, this dam serves multiple purposes including hydroelectric power generation, flood risk reduction, and recreation. With a height of 19 feet and a controlled spillway width of 78 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 4,500 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 720 acres.
Managed by a private owner, the Lower Pawtucket Locks are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and inspected every three years. Despite being classified as having low hazard potential, the structure is considered to have a very high risk rating due to its age and historical significance. While the dam's condition assessment is currently unavailable, emergency action plans have been prepared and updated periodically to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure.
Located along the Lower Pawtucket Canal, this iconic dam plays a vital role in the region's water resource management and climate resilience efforts. As enthusiasts of water resources and climate change, the Lower Pawtucket Locks offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of history, engineering, and environmental sustainability in the heart of New England.
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 Lower Pawtucket Locks -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Merrimack River Bl Concord River At Lowell | 11,800 cfs | → |
| Concord R Below R Meadow Brook | 311 cfs | → |
| Shawsheen River Near Wilmington | 21 cfs | → |
| Spicket River Near Methuen | 25 cfs | → |
| Beaver Brook At North Pelham | 35 cfs | → |
| Nashoba Brook Near Acton | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lower Pawtucket Locks .
Boat launches
- Billerica Street 5-65, Lowell
- Pawtucket Boulevard 936-970, Lowell
- Willowdale Avenue 1-53, Dracut
- Methuen Riverside Boat Ramp
- Farm Road, Billerica
- Flint Pond Road, Tyngsborough
Track Lower Pawtucket Locks 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 Lower Pawtucket Locks
Where does the data for Lower Pawtucket Locks 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 Lower Pawtucket Locks .