Emery Mills dam
Emery Mills
Emery Mills, located in Sanford, Maine, is a stone dam that was completed in 1889 along the Mousam River. Primarily serving the purpose of flood risk reduction, this historic structure stands at a height of 29 feet with a hydraulic height of 25 feet and a length of 210 feet. With a storage capacity of 16,733 acre-feet and a normal storage of 12,713 acre-feet, Emery Mills covers a surface area of 1005 acres and drains an area of 30 square miles.
Despite its long history, Emery Mills is facing challenges in terms of its condition assessment, which was reported as poor during its last inspection in May 2018. With a high hazard potential, the dam is in need of attention to ensure its continued functionality and safety. The dam is under the regulatory jurisdiction of MEMA in Maine, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to oversee its operations.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Emery Mills offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of engineering, history, and environmental stewardship. As efforts continue to maintain and improve this vital infrastructure for flood risk reduction along the Mousam River, the dam serves as a reminder of the importance of sustainable water management practices in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Emery Mills -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mousam River Near West Kennebunk | 225 cfs | → |
| Cocheco River Near Rochester | 97 cfs | → |
| Isinglass R At Rochester Neck Rd | 53 cfs | → |
| Saco River At Cornish | 7,160 cfs | → |
| Oyster River Near Durham | 11 cfs | → |
| Lamprey River Near Newmarket | 119 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Emery Mills.
Boat launches
- Emery Mills Road 125, Shapleigh
- West Shore Road 411, Acton
- Lovell Lake Road 3198, Acton
- Norton Ridge Road 99, Shapleigh
- Great East Lake Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Green Tops Campground
- Old Stage Campground
- Ferry Beach Campground
- Wild Duck Campground & Rv Park
- Bayley's Camping Resort
- Saddleback Campground
Paddle runs
- Sewall's Island To Manchester Street Bridge
- Begins In Franklin To Sewall's Island
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
More reservoirs
Track Emery Mills 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 Emery Mills
Where does the data for Emery Mills 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 Emery Mills.