Salisbury Mills Dam dam
Salisbury Mills Dam
Salisbury Mills Dam, also known as Frost White Mill Dam, is a private-owned structure located in Salisbury Mills, New York. Built in 1922, this concrete dam serves primarily for hydroelectric purposes on the Moodna Creek. With a height of 29 feet and a length of 132 feet, it has a storage capacity of 1470 acre-feet and a drainage area of 129 square miles. The dam features a controlled spillway with a width of 132 feet, ensuring efficient water management and flood control in the region.
Managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Salisbury Mills Dam has a low hazard potential and is classified as "Very High (1)" in terms of risk assessment. Despite not being structurally rated, the dam has undergone state inspections, maintenance, and enforcement to ensure public safety and environmental protection. It stands as a vital infrastructure for renewable energy generation and water resource management in Orange County, New York. With its historical significance and functional design, Salisbury Mills Dam remains a key component in the region's water infrastructure network.
As a key player in the Philadelphia District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Salisbury Mills Dam contributes to the sustainable development of the region by providing clean energy and regulating water flow in the Moodna Creek. It is a testament to the ingenuity and engineering skills of its designers and builders, showcasing the importance of infrastructure in adapting to changing climate conditions. With its strategic location and efficient operation, Salisbury Mills Dam stands as a symbol of resilience and innovation in water resource management for the benefit of the local community and environment.
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 Salisbury Mills Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wallkill River At Gardiner Ny | 286 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River At Richardsville Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| Muscoot River At Baldwin Place Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| Croton R @ New Croton Dam Nr Croton-On-Hudson Ny | 272 cfs | → |
| W Br Croton River Below Dam Near Kent Cliffs Ny | 10 cfs | → |
| Wappinger Creek Near Wappingers Falls Ny | 120 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Salisbury Mills Dam.
Boat launches
- State Highway 208 3081, Wallkill
- Old East Main Street Town Of Wallkill
- Bear Mountain Bridge Road Cortlandt
- Hudson Avenue Peekskill
- Broadway Buchanan
- Market Street 114, Wappingers Falls
Campgrounds
- Round Pond Military
- Winding Hills Park
- Camping For Hikers On Ballfield Graymoor Center
- Beaver Pond Campsite
- Beaver Pond - Harriman State Park
- Blue Mountain Reservation
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
Track Salisbury Mills Dam 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 Salisbury Mills Dam
Where does the data for Salisbury Mills Dam 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 Salisbury Mills Dam.