Northampton dam
Northampton
Northampton, located in Northampton, Pennsylvania, is home to a concrete dam built in 1927 along the beautiful Lehigh River. This private recreational dam stands at a height of 8 feet and spans 280 feet in length, providing a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet. Despite its age, the dam is assessed as being in satisfactory condition with a low hazard potential, making it a safe and reliable structure for recreation enthusiasts to enjoy.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Northampton Dam is subject to state regulations, permitting, inspections, and enforcement to ensure its continued safety and compliance. The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, attracting visitors to its picturesque location in Whitehall Township. With a history dating back nearly a century, Northampton Dam remains a testament to enduring engineering and serves as a vital part of the local water resource infrastructure.
As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, Northampton Dam stands as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and monitoring our dams for safety and sustainability. With a regular inspection frequency and a satisfactory condition assessment, this recreational dam serves as a model for responsible dam management in the face of changing environmental conditions. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Northampton Dam exemplifies the intersection of history, recreation, and environmental stewardship in Pennsylvania's landscape.
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 Northampton -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Creek At Allentown | 16 cfs | → |
| Little Lehigh Creek At Tenth St. Br. At Allentown | 65 cfs | → |
| Jordan Creek Near Schnecksville | 47 cfs | → |
| Lehigh River At Walnutport | 1,070 cfs | → |
| Monocacy Creek At Bethlehem | 30 cfs | → |
| Little Lehigh Creek Near Allentown | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Northampton.
Boat launches
- Pa 145 North Whitehall Township
- Kimmett's Lock
- Lehigh Street Walnutport
- Canal Park
- Sand Island Access
- Lehigh Gap Access
Track Northampton 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 Northampton
Where does the data for Northampton 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 Northampton.