Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam dam
Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam
The Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam, located in Framingham, Massachusetts, was completed in 1984 by the USDA NRCS and serves as a vital structure for flood risk reduction along Baiting Brook. This earth dam, with a height of 28 feet and a hydraulic height of 2 feet, plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding area from potential flooding events. The dam also serves multiple purposes, including supporting fish and wildlife habitats, recreation opportunities, and flood risk reduction activities.
Managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts, the Constance M. Fiske Dam is inspected regularly to ensure its safety and effectiveness. With a high hazard potential but a satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is considered to have a moderate risk level. Despite its critical role in mitigating flood risks, the dam has a normal storage capacity of 0 and covers a surface area of 62 acres, making it an essential part of the water resource infrastructure in Middlesex County.
As a state-regulated structure with state permitting and enforcement in place, the Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam stands as a testament to effective water resource management and climate resilience efforts. With its strategic location and design by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, this dam exemplifies the importance of proactive measures in safeguarding communities and ecosystems against the impacts of extreme weather events and changing climate patterns.
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 Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sudbury River At Saxonville | 112 cfs | → |
| Lake Cochituate Outlet At Framingham | 25 cfs | → |
| Assabet River At Maynard | 95 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook At Rt 20 At Waltham | 27 cfs | → |
| Stony Brook Reservoir At Dam Near Waltham | 0 cfs | → |
| Hobbs Bk Below Cambridge Res Nr Kendall Green | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam.
Boat launches
- Lakeview Avenue 98, Framingham
- Commonwealth Road 39, Natick
- Dudley Road 43, Wayland
- Green Way Wayland
- Cedar Street 154-180, Hopkinton
- Ashland State Park Boat Launch
Track Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding 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 Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam
Where does the data for Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding 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 High 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 Constance M. Fiske Flood Retarding Dam.