Bear Pond dam
Bear Pond
Bear Pond, located in Oxford, Maine, is a privately owned water resource regulated by the Maine Emergency Management Agency. The dam at Bear Pond, completed in 1900, is primarily used for purposes such as recreation and water supply. With a height of 15 feet and a hydraulic height of 12 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 1024 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 820 acre-feet.
Despite its low hazard potential, Bear Pond's dam is currently in poor condition, as assessed during the last inspection in October 2017. The dam has a surface area of 218 acres and drains an area of 11.3 square miles through the Bear River. While the dam structure consists of stone and concrete, it lacks certain features such as spillways and outlet gates. The primary purpose of the dam is listed as 'Other', indicating its importance beyond traditional water resource management.
With concerns over the dam's condition and maintenance, water resource and climate enthusiasts should keep an eye on Bear Pond for potential developments in risk management and infrastructure updates. As a critical piece of the local water supply and recreational landscape, efforts to ensure the safety and sustainability of Bear Pond's dam will be crucial in the face of changing climate and increasing water resource demands in the region.
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 Bear Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Androscoggin River Near South Paris | 149 cfs | → |
| Saco River Near Conway | 1,580 cfs | → |
| Wild River At Gilead | 194 cfs | → |
| Saco River At Cornish | 7,900 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River Near Auburn | 8,740 cfs | → |
| Nezinscot River At Turner Center | 43 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bear Pond.
Boat launches
- Norway Road Harrison
- Power House Road, Bridgton
- Pismo Beach Road 38, Oxford
- Denmark Road 99, Denmark
- Wabunaki Road 10, Denmark
- Singepole Trail Paris
Campgrounds
- Salmon Point City Campground
- Seeds Of Peace Camp
- Office/Recreation Hall
- Fiddlehead Campground B9
- Dunn's Campground
- Hoop Basketball Camp
Paddle runs
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
More reservoirs
Track Bear 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 Bear Pond
Where does the data for Bear 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 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 Bear Pond.