Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam dam
Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam
Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam, located in Beacon, New York, is a pivotal structure for water supply purposes in Dutchess County. Completed in 1922, this buttress dam stands at a height of 35 feet and has a storage capacity of 606 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 575 acre-feet. The dam spans 350 feet in length and is situated on Dry Brook, serving as a vital resource for the surrounding area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam has a high hazard potential but is currently assessed as satisfactory in condition. A recent inspection in April 2020 found the dam to be in good standing. With a spillway width of 45 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 210 cubic feet per second, the dam is equipped to manage potential water flow during periods of high rainfall or flooding.
Despite its moderate risk assessment, the Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam remains a crucial component of the region's water resource infrastructure. In the event of an emergency, the dam is prepared with an Emergency Action Plan, although details of its last revision date are not specified. With its historical significance and practical function, this dam plays a vital role in ensuring water supply stability and management in Dutchess County.
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 Beacon Reservoir Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West Branch Croton River At Richardsville Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| W Br Croton River Below Dam Near Kent Cliffs Ny | 10 cfs | → |
| Wappinger Creek Near Wappingers Falls Ny | 120 cfs | → |
| Horse Pound Brook Near Lake Carmel Ny | 2 cfs | → |
| Muscoot River At Baldwin Place Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River Near Carmel Ny | 10 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam.
Boat launches
- Market Street 114, Wappingers Falls
- Spring Street 51, Wappingers Falls
- Old Indian Trail 98, Town Of Marlborough
- Bear Mountain Bridge Road Cortlandt
- Hudson Avenue Peekskill
- State Highway 208 3081, Wallkill
Campgrounds
- Clarence Fahnestock State Park
- Round Pond Military
- Camping For Hikers On Ballfield Graymoor Center
- Blue Mountain Reservation
- Winding Hills Park
- Beaver Pond Campsite
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
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
Track Mount Beacon Reservoir 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 Mount Beacon Reservoir Dam
Where does the data for Mount Beacon Reservoir 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 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 Beacon Reservoir Dam.