East Long Pond dam
East Long Pond
East Long Pond, located in Woodbury, Vermont, is a local government-owned reservoir with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1930 by designer H. K. Barrows, this earth dam stands at a height of 20 feet and has a storage capacity of 3,620 acre-feet. With a surface area of 177 acres and a drainage area of 3.47 square miles, East Long Pond is a popular destination for water enthusiasts and climate aficionados alike.
Despite its picturesque setting, East Long Pond poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment. The dam, constructed with stone core and soil foundation, is regulated and permitted by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. With a history of state inspection and enforcement, East Long Pond serves as a critical water resource in Washington County, Vermont. However, its current risk assessment and emergency action plan are lacking, raising concerns for the surrounding community in the event of a catastrophic failure.
As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the importance of maintaining and improving dams like East Long Pond becomes increasingly apparent. With a high hazard potential and poor condition assessment, there is a pressing need for risk management measures and updated emergency action plans to ensure the safety and resilience of this essential water source. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, East Long Pond serves as a reminder of the complex challenges facing our water infrastructure in the face of a changing climate.
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 East Long Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pope Brook (Site W-3) Nr. N. Danville | 9 cfs | → |
| Sleepers River (Site W-5) Near St. Johnsbury | 98 cfs | → |
| North Branch Winooski River At Wrightsville | 285 cfs | → |
| Passumpsic River At Passumpsic | 1,110 cfs | → |
| Winooski River At Montpelier | 1,150 cfs | → |
| Lamoille River At Johnson | 838 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near East Long Pond.
Boat launches
- North Pond Road Walden
- Nelson Pond Road Woodbury
- Molly's Pond Boat Launch
- G A R Road 285, Calais
- Peacham Pond Boat Ramp
- Wolcott Pond Road Wolcott
Campgrounds
- New Discovery State Park
- Lake Elmore State Park
- Elmore State Park
- Sugar Ridge Rv Resort
- Big Deer State Park
- Stillwater State Park
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Folsom Brook
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
- Proclamation Boundary To Proclamation Boundary
- Confluence With Alder Creek To Confluence With Middlebury River
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
Track East Long Pond 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 East Long Pond
Where does the data for East Long Pond 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 East Long Pond.