Somerset Lakes Basin No 2 dam
Somerset Lakes Basin No 2
Somerset Lakes Basin No 2, located in New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1991 for flood risk reduction on TR Broad Run. With a dam height of 12 feet and a length of 250 feet, it has a storage capacity of 4 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 1.9 acre-feet on its 0.62-acre surface area. The dam is regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its fair condition and significant hazard potential are managed effectively.
The dam, classified as a buttress type with an unlisted foundation, is not associated with any other structures and has no spillway or outlet gates specified. Despite its fair condition assessment, the dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and risk management measures remain unreported. The last inspection in 2019 revealed the dam to be in fair condition, and its inspection frequency is set at every two years to ensure its effectiveness in flood risk reduction. With significant hazard potential, the dam serves a vital role in mitigating flood risks in the area, under the oversight of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Somerset Lakes Basin No 2 stands as a crucial infrastructure for flood risk reduction in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Managed by a private entity and regulated by state authorities, the dam plays a key role in protecting the surrounding community from the impacts of potential flooding events on TR Broad Run. With its fair condition and significant hazard potential, the dam's ongoing inspections and maintenance ensure its effectiveness in safeguarding the area from flood risks while highlighting the importance of proactive dam management and emergency preparedness in mitigating potential hazards.
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 Somerset Lakes Basin No 2 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White Clay Creek Near Strickersville | 31 cfs | → |
| Red Clay Creek Near Kennett Square | 13 cfs | → |
| East Branch White Clay Creek At Avondale | 6 cfs | → |
| Red Clay Creek At Wooddale | 23 cfs | → |
| White Clay Creek At Newark | 31 cfs | → |
| White Clay Creek Near Newark | 38 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Somerset Lakes Basin No 2.
Boat launches
- Churchmans Road New Castle County
- I 95;Us 202 Wilmington
- Delaware Memorial Bridge Pennsville Township
- Riviera Drive 54, Pennsville
- Plant Road Penns Grove
- Crown Point Road Oldmans
Campgrounds
- Lums Pond Youth Camping
- Harmony Hill Wilderness Area Campsite
- Camp Horseshoe
- Sandy Hill Camp
- Camp Rodney
- Tinicum Island Primitive Campsite
Fishing spots
Track Somerset Lakes Basin No 2 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 Somerset Lakes Basin No 2
Where does the data for Somerset Lakes Basin No 2 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 Somerset Lakes Basin No 2.