Taftsville dam
Taftsville
Taftsville, located in Windsor, Vermont, is a concrete gravity dam on the Ottauquechee River that was completed in 1910 for hydroelectric purposes. With a height of 18 feet and a length of 220 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 80 acre-feet and serves a drainage area of 190 square miles. Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Taftsville has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating, making it a key structure for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor.
Despite not being state regulated, Taftsville is under the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Regulatory Agency, ensuring its compliance with safety standards and inspections. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 194 feet, allowing for a maximum discharge rate of 15,300 cubic feet per second. While the condition assessment is not available, the dam has undergone regular inspections with a frequency of three years, with the last inspection conducted in October 2016. As a historical landmark in the region, Taftsville serves as a vital component of Vermont's water infrastructure, highlighting the importance of sustainable water resource management in the face of changing climate 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 Taftsville -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ottauquechee River At North Hartland | 490 cfs | → |
| White River At West Hartford | 1,750 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At West Lebanon | 14,000 cfs | → |
| Ottauquechee River Near West Bridgewater | 57 cfs | → |
| Ompompanoosuc River At Union Village | 16 cfs | → |
| Sugar River At West Claremont | 698 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Taftsville .
Boat launches
- Connecticut River Boat Launch
- Mascoma Lake Boat Launch
- Vt 100 Plymouth
- Sanders Road Bethel
- Fishing Access Road Ludlow
Campgrounds
- Quechee State Park
- Forest Campsite With Stream & Fire Ring
- Silver Lake State Park
- Velvet Rocks Shelter
- Storrs Pond Rec Area
- Campsite 5
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Woodstock, Vt
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Headwaters To Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
- Confluence With Otter Creek To Ten Kilns Brook
- South Wallington To Emerald Lake
- End Of Fs Road 243 To Neshobe River
More reservoirs
Track Taftsville 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 Taftsville
Where does the data for Taftsville 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 Taftsville .