Mount Zircon dam
Mount Zircon
Mount Zircon, located in Rumford, Maine, is a vital water supply dam built in 1914 with a height of 70 feet and a storage capacity of 440 acre-feet. Operating under the ownership of a Public Utility, this dam on Zircon Brook serves the primary purpose of providing water to the region. With a fair condition assessment and a high hazard potential, Mount Zircon plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in Oxford County.
Managed by the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and regulated by the state, Mount Zircon undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a spillway width of 40 feet and a drainage area of 2.6 square miles, this earth dam with concrete and stone core types is designed to handle maximum storage of 440 acre-feet and a normal storage capacity of 300 acre-feet. The dam's location in New England District adds to its significance in the water resource infrastructure of the region, making it a key asset for water supply and climate adaptation initiatives in Maine.
Despite its age, Mount Zircon continues to provide essential water supply services to the community while maintaining a high hazard potential due to its condition and hydraulic height of 65 feet. With a history dating back over a century, this dam exemplifies the intersection of water resource management, climate resilience, and infrastructure safety. As climate change impacts water resources, Mount Zircon stands as a crucial piece of infrastructure in ensuring reliable water supply and emergency preparedness in the face of changing environmental 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 Mount Zircon -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin River At Rumford | 4,670 cfs | → |
| Swift River Near Roxbury | 162 cfs | → |
| Ellis River At South Andover | 280 cfs | → |
| Little Androscoggin River Near South Paris | 125 cfs | → |
| Wild River At Gilead | 158 cfs | → |
| Nezinscot River At Turner Center | 43 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mount Zircon.
Boat launches
- Rowe Hill Road Woodstock
- Federal Road 694, Livermore
- Singepole Trail Paris
- Howes Corner Road Leeds
- South Arm Road Oxford County
- Gulf Island Pond Public Boat Ramp
Track Mount Zircon 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 Mount Zircon
Where does the data for Mount Zircon 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 Mount Zircon.