Lake Sadawga dam
Lake Sadawga
Lake Sadawga, located in Whitingham, Vermont, is a recreational gem nestled in Windham County. This man-made reservoir, completed in 1880, serves as a popular spot for water enthusiasts seeking a peaceful escape. With a surface area of 194 acres and a drainage area of 1.83 square miles, this Earth-type dam stands at 19 feet tall and spans 455 feet in length.
Despite its scenic beauty, Lake Sadawga poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment. The dam's inspection frequency is once a year, with the last assessment conducted in July 2020. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulates the state-owned reservoir, ensuring that necessary permits, inspections, and enforcement measures are in place to safeguard the surrounding community and ecosystem.
As climate change continues to impact water resources, Lake Sadawga serves as a crucial site for monitoring and managing potential risks. With its proximity to the Harriman Reservoir-TR, this reservoir plays a vital role in local water management. While the dam's condition may be a cause for concern, efforts to improve its safety and resilience are essential in protecting this cherished recreational resource for future generations of water and climate enthusiasts.
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 Lake Sadawga -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Deerfield River At Charlemont | 294 cfs | → |
| Green River Near Colrain | 71 cfs | → |
| North River At Shattuckville | 116 cfs | → |
| Hoosic River Near Williamstown | 195 cfs | → |
| Green River At Williamstown | 76 cfs | → |
| Hoosic River At Adams | 69 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Sadawga.
Boat launches
- Fairview Avenue 298, Wilmington
- Lake Raponda Road Wilmington
- Somerset
- South Stream Access Area Road Pownal
- Ashton Avenue North Adams
- Pine Ridge Drive 27, Pownal
Campgrounds
- Molly Stark State Park Campsites
- Molly Stark State Park
- Red Mill Brook
- Clarksburg State Park
- Mohawk Trail State Forest
- Woodford State Park
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To North Of Searsburg Reservoir
- Stamford Town Line To Confluence With City Stream
- Headwaters To Confluence With West River (End Of Sherman Road)
- First Bridge To Walloomsac Brook
- Headwaters To First Bridge
- Woodford To Woodford Hollow
More reservoirs
Track Lake Sadawga 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 Lake Sadawga
Where does the data for Lake Sadawga 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 Lake Sadawga.