Burden Pond Dam dam
Burden Pond Dam
Burden Pond Dam, located in Troy, New York, was completed in 1942 and serves primarily for recreational purposes. The dam, with a height of 17 feet and a length of 160 feet, impounds the waters of the Wynantskill River, creating a surface area of 19 acres and a storage capacity of 153 acre-feet. The dam is classified as a masonry structure and has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 100 feet.
Although the dam is considered to have low hazard potential, it is regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which oversees its permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The last inspection of the dam was conducted in March 2016, with its condition yet to be rated. Despite being under state jurisdiction, the dam does not fall under the purview of any federal agency, with its funding, design, and construction managed solely by local government entities.
The Burden Pond Dam stands as a vital component of the local water resource infrastructure, providing both recreational opportunities and moderate risk management measures for the surrounding area. As climate change continues to impact water resources, monitoring and maintaining the dam's structural integrity will be crucial in ensuring the safety and resilience of the community it serves.
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 Burden Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson River At Green Island Ny | 15,500 cfs | → |
| Mohawk River At Cohoes Ny | 5,910 cfs | → |
| Normans Kill At Albany Ny | 123 cfs | → |
| Hudson River At Lock 1 Near Waterford Ny | 8,410 cfs | → |
| Hudson R Above Lock 1 Nr Waterford Ny | 10,100 cfs | → |
| Valatie Kill Near Nassau Ny | 10 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Burden Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Forbes Road Rensselaer
- Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail Albany
- 123rd Street 6, City Of Troy
- Crescent Road Town Of Colonie
- North Schermerhorn Road 22, City Of Cohoes
- Flightlock Road Town Of Waterford
Campgrounds
- Cherry Plain State Park
- Cherry Plain State Park Campgrounds
- Thompsons Lake State Park
- Thompsons Lake Campground
- Pittsfield State Forest
- Sites 11, 12, 13
Track Burden Pond 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 Burden Pond Dam
Where does the data for Burden Pond 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 Burden Pond Dam.