Utica Reservoir #4 Dam dam
Utica Reservoir #4 Dam
Utica Reservoir #4 Dam, also known as Golden Dam, is a crucial structure in Utica, New York, serving as a local government-owned Earth dam that was completed in 1886. The dam's primary purpose is water supply, with a storage capacity of 902 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 766 acre-feet. Situated on Ballou Creek, the dam stands at a height of 55 feet and spans 1700 feet in length, with a surface area of 34 acres.
Despite its age, the dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC). The dam's spillway is uncontrolled with a width of 17 feet, posing a high hazard potential and carrying a moderate risk assessment rating. While the dam's condition assessment is not rated, it undergoes inspections every two years, with the last inspection carried out in August 2019. The emergency action plan for the dam was last revised in July 2018, further highlighting the importance of ensuring the safety and integrity of this critical water resource infrastructure.
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 Utica Reservoir #4 Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Steele Cr At Ilion Ny | 26 cfs | → |
| West Canada Creek At Kast Bridge Ny | 1,290 cfs | → |
| Mohawk River Below Delta Dam Near Rome Ny | 226 cfs | → |
| Oneida Creek At Oneida Ny | 33 cfs | → |
| Mohawk River Near Little Falls Ny | 2,010 cfs | → |
| West Canada Creek Near Wilmurt Ny | 332 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Utica Reservoir #4 Dam.
Boat launches
- Mohawk River
- Chittning Pond
- South Washington Street Herkimer
- Delta Lake State Park Town Of Western
- Lake Moraine
- Lebanon Reservoir
Campgrounds
- Delta Lake State Park
- Pixley Falls State Park
- Verona Beach State Park
- Glimmerglass State Park
- St. Johnsville Campsite And Marina
Track Utica Reservoir #4 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 Utica Reservoir #4 Dam
Where does the data for Utica Reservoir #4 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 Utica Reservoir #4 Dam.