West Farm Regional Swm Pond dam
West Farm Regional Swm Pond
Located in Montgomery, Maryland, the West Farm Regional Stormwater Management (SWM) Pond, also known as the Washington Adventist SWM Pond, serves as a key infrastructure for flood risk reduction in the area. Built in 1987 by Greenhorne and Omara, this private-owned earth dam stands at 25 feet high with a length of 260 feet, offering a storage capacity of 132 acre-feet to mitigate potential flooding events. The pond plays a crucial role in managing the Paint Branch-TR watershed, covering a drainage area of 0.67 square miles and capable of discharging up to 3742 cubic feet per second.
With a primary purpose of flood risk reduction, the West Farm Regional SWM Pond also doubles as a recreational space for the community. Its satisfactory condition assessment and significant hazard potential underscore the importance of regular inspections and maintenance efforts to ensure structural integrity and public safety. The Maryland Dam Safety agency oversees its state-regulated operations, permitting, and enforcement, highlighting the collaborative efforts to manage water resources efficiently in the region.
As climate change intensifies and extreme weather events become more frequent, the West Farm Regional SWM Pond stands as a critical infrastructure for flood control and water management in Montgomery, Maryland. Its strategic location and design demonstrate a proactive approach to climate resilience and adaptation, showcasing the vital role of stormwater management ponds in safeguarding communities and ecosystems from the impacts of changing weather patterns. By maintaining and enhancing such sustainable water resources infrastructure, we can better prepare for the challenges posed by a shifting climate and ensure a more resilient future for all.
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 West Farm Regional Swm Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nw Branch Anacostia River Near Colesville | 4 cfs | → |
| North East Branch Anacostia River At Riverdale | 18 cfs | → |
| Patuxent Riv Near Laurel | 20 cfs | → |
| Nw Branch Anacostia River Near Hyattsville | 10 cfs | → |
| Rock Creek At Sherrill Drive Washington | 38 cfs | → |
| Hawlings River Near Sandy Spring | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Farm Regional Swm Pond.
Boat launches
- Supplee Launch
- Anacostia Park Boat Ramp
- Gravelly Point Boat Ramp
- Lightspun Lane 5665, Long Reach
- Wayne F Anderson Bikeway Alexandria
- Potomac Hills Street Fairfax County
Campgrounds
Track West Farm Regional Swm Pond 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 West Farm Regional Swm Pond
Where does the data for West Farm Regional Swm Pond 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 Significant 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 West Farm Regional Swm Pond.