West Surge Pond dam
West Surge Pond
West Surge Pond, located in Shippingport Borough, Pennsylvania, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1974 with a primary purpose classified as 'Other'. This dam, standing at 27 feet high and stretching 750 feet in length, serves as a significant water resource structure within the WTRSHD OHIO RIVER watershed. With a storage capacity of 45.2 acre-feet and a drainage area of 0.08 square miles, West Surge Pond plays a crucial role in water management and regulation in the region.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, West Surge Pond is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam has been deemed to have a significant hazard potential, but its current condition is assessed as satisfactory. The last inspection took place in November 2017, with a regular inspection frequency of every two years. While the dam meets guidelines for emergency action plans, additional risk assessment and management measures may need to be implemented to enhance its resilience to potential climate-related challenges.
Overall, West Surge Pond stands as a vital component of the water infrastructure in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, serving as a key resource for water supply, flood control, and environmental protection. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the proper maintenance and management of structures like West Surge Pond are essential to ensure the safety and sustainability of our water systems in the face of evolving environmental 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 West Surge Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Raccoon Creek At Moffatts Mill | 68 cfs | → |
| Little Beaver Creek Near East Liverpool Oh | 334 cfs | → |
| Beaver River At Beaver Falls | 2,730 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Sewickley | 20,900 cfs | → |
| Connoquenessing Creek Near Zelienople | 221 cfs | → |
| Kings Creek At Weirton | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Surge Pond.
Track West Surge 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 West Surge Pond
Where does the data for West Surge 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 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 West Surge Pond.