Lower Great Brook dam
Lower Great Brook
Lower Great Brook in Damariscotta, Maine, is a significant earth dam constructed in 1970 for fire protection, stock, and as a small fish pond. With a dam height of 20 feet and a hydraulic height of 16 feet, it serves multiple purposes including fish and wildlife pond. The dam has a fair condition assessment and a hazard potential classified as significant, making it a crucial water resource for the area.
Owned by a public utility and regulated by the Maine Emergency Management Agency, Lower Great Brook plays a vital role in maintaining the water supply for the region. The dam has a storage capacity of 19 acre-feet and a surface area of 2 acres, providing essential water resources for fire protection and wildlife conservation. The dam also serves as a recreational spot for fishing and other outdoor activities.
Located in Lincoln County, Maine, Lower Great Brook is a key feature in the local water infrastructure, ensuring water availability for both human and wildlife needs. With regular inspections and enforcement by state regulatory agencies, the dam continues to play a crucial role in water management and conservation efforts in the region, highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management 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 Lower Great Brook -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sheepscot River At North Whitefield | 312 cfs | → |
| Cobbosseecontee Stream At Gardiner | 726 cfs | → |
| Ducktrap River Near Lincolnville | 25 cfs | → |
| Kennebec River At North Sidney | 8,390 cfs | → |
| Androscoggin River Near Auburn | 7,760 cfs | → |
| Nezinscot River At Turner Center | 43 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lower Great Brook.
Boat launches
- Town Landing Road 13, Bristol
- Public Landing 15, Thomaston
- North End Boat Launch
- Pitchpole Trail Camden
- Anchor Road 5, Bath
- South End Boat Launch
Track Lower Great Brook 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 Lower Great Brook
Where does the data for Lower Great Brook 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 Lower Great Brook.