Gorham dam
Gorham
Gorham, N. Farm Pond in Foster, Rhode Island, is a private water resource managed by the USDA NRCS with a primary purpose of providing fire protection and serving as a stock or small fish pond. This gravity dam, completed in 1973, has a height of 16 feet and a length of 560 feet, creating a storage capacity of 150 acre-feet. The dam's poor condition assessment and significant hazard potential highlight the need for ongoing maintenance and risk management measures.
Located on the Moosup River tributary in Providence County, Rhode Island, Gorham, N. Farm Pond plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and providing essential services to the surrounding area. Despite being state-regulated and inspected, the dam's outdated infrastructure and lack of recent updates pose challenges to its long-term sustainability. With a moderate risk assessment rating, there is a pressing need for improved emergency preparedness and risk management strategies to ensure the safety and functionality of this vital water resource.
As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the importance of maintaining and upgrading dams like Gorham, N. Farm Pond becomes increasingly apparent. With a spillway width of 70 feet and uncontrolled outlets, there is a need for modernization to enhance flood control capabilities and mitigate potential risks. Collaborative efforts between state agencies, the USDA NRCS, and local stakeholders will be crucial in safeguarding this dam and ensuring its continued ability to support fire protection, stock, and fish pond activities in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 Gorham -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ponaganset River At South Foster | 7 cfs | → |
| Nooseneck River At Nooseneck | 9 cfs | → |
| South Branch Pawtuxet River At Washington | 87 cfs | → |
| Peeptoad Brook At Elmdale Rd Nr North Scituate | 2 cfs | → |
| Wood River Near Arcadia | 36 cfs | → |
| Quinebaug River At Putnam | 432 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Gorham.
Boat launches
- Squaw Rock Road Killingly
- North Road 1060, Killingly
- Jl Curran
- Lovell Lane 50, Canterbury
- Beach Pond
- Hartford Pike Rogers
Campgrounds
- Dyer Woods Nudist Campgrounds
- George Washington State Campground
- Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts Of America, Cub World
- Highland Campground
- Camp Hoffman
- Mystic Koa Holiday
Fishing spots
Track Gorham 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 Gorham
Where does the data for Gorham 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 Gorham.