Bellwood dam
Bellwood
Bellwood, located in Antis Township, Pennsylvania, is a vital Earth dam constructed in 1902 for water supply purposes along the Bells Gap Run. With a height of 61 feet and a length of 1300 feet, Bellwood has a storage capacity of 1924 acre-feet and serves as a crucial water resource for the region. Administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state agencies, ensuring its safety and functionality.
Despite its historical significance and essential role in water supply, Bellwood faces challenges in terms of its condition assessment, rated as poor, and hazard potential, classified as high. With the last inspection conducted in December 2020, Bellwood requires attention and potential improvements to mitigate risks and ensure its reliability in safeguarding the surrounding communities from flooding events. As a structure of strategic importance, Bellwood serves as a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts, highlighting the intersection of infrastructure, environmental protection, and community resilience.
With its rich history, functional significance, and regulatory oversight, Bellwood stands as a symbol of the intricate relationship between water resources, infrastructure management, and environmental stewardship. As efforts to address its condition and hazard potential continue, Bellwood exemplifies the ongoing challenges and opportunities in ensuring the safety and sustainability of critical water supply infrastructure in Pennsylvania and beyond. For enthusiasts interested in water resource management and climate resilience, Bellwood offers a compelling case study of the complexities and responsibilities associated with maintaining essential infrastructure for the benefit of both present and future generations.
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 Bellwood -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bald Eagle Creek At Tyrone | 25 cfs | → |
| Little Juniata River At Spruce Creek | 178 cfs | → |
| Frankstown Br Juniata River At Williamsburg | 185 cfs | → |
| Juniata River At Huntingdon | 563 cfs | → |
| Clearfield Creek At Dimeling | 282 cfs | → |
| Wb Susquehanna River Near Curwensville | 253 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bellwood.
Boat launches
- Beaver Dam
- Range Road Boat Launch White Township
- Beaver Valley
- Sailboat Launch
- Crooked Run
- Motorboat Mooring
Campgrounds
- Prince Gallitzin State Park
- Canoe Creek State Park
- Camp Blue Diamond
- Curwensville Lake
- Seven Points
- Susquehannock - Raystown Lake
More reservoirs
Track Bellwood 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 Bellwood
Where does the data for Bellwood 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 Bellwood.