Rock City Saw Mill Dam dam
Rock City Saw Mill Dam
Rock City Saw Mill Dam, located in Rock City, New York, was completed in 1900 and serves primarily for recreational purposes. This masonry dam stands at a height of 12 feet and has a length of 86 feet, with a storage capacity of 11 acre-feet and a drainage area of 6.14 square miles. The dam, situated on the TR-LAKES KILL stream, is regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity.
Despite its historical significance, Rock City Saw Mill Dam poses a significant hazard potential with a poor condition assessment as of 2008. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, with a width of 45 feet, and a maximum discharge capacity of 135 cubic feet per second. The dam's emergency action plan (EAP) status, risk assessment, and risk management measures are currently unknown, highlighting potential gaps in emergency preparedness and risk mitigation strategies. With a recent inspection in June 2020 and a moderate risk rating, stakeholders may need to address the dam's condition and safety measures to ensure the protection of downstream communities and the environment.
Climate and water resource enthusiasts in the Dutchess County area may find Rock City Saw Mill Dam an intriguing structure given its historical significance, recreational value, and regulatory oversight by the NYS DEC. The dam's location on the TR-LAKES KILL stream, along with its structural features and hazard potential, present a complex interplay of factors that warrant ongoing monitoring and potential risk management actions. As discussions around dam safety and climate resilience continue, the case of Rock City Saw Mill Dam provides a compelling example of the intersection between historical infrastructure, environmental protection, and public safety 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 Rock City Saw Mill Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Esopus Creek At Mount Marion Ny | 140 cfs | → |
| Rondout Creek At Rosendale Ny | 191 cfs | → |
| Salmon Creek At Lime Rock | 27 cfs | → |
| Wappinger Creek Near Wappingers Falls Ny | 120 cfs | → |
| Housatonic River At Falls Village | 530 cfs | → |
| Little Beaver Kill @ Beechford Nr Mt Tremper Ny | 13 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rock City Saw Mill Dam.
Boat launches
- Kidd Lane Town Of Red Hook
- Ulster Landing Road 808, Town Of Ulster
- Ny 199 Town Of Rhinebeck
- Charles Rider Park Road Town Of Ulster
- Hudson Street Town Of Saugerties
- Delaware Avenue Kingston
Campgrounds
- Wilcox Memorial Park
- Lake Taghkanic State Park
- Margaret Norrie State Park
- Koa Camping
- Rip Van Winkle Camping
- Rudd Pond - Taconic State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- The Massachusetts-Connecticut Border To Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut
- 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
- New Hartford/Canton Town Line To The Confluence With The Nepaug River
Track Rock City Saw Mill 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 Rock City Saw Mill Dam
Where does the data for Rock City Saw Mill 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 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 Rock City Saw Mill Dam.