Woodbury Upper dam
Woodbury Upper
Woodbury Upper is a privately owned dam located in Woodbury, Vermont, along the Dog Pond Brook. Built in 1949 for recreational purposes, this gravity dam stands at 15 feet high and spans 350 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 65 acre-feet. Despite its age, Woodbury Upper is in poor condition and poses a significant hazard potential, as indicated by its last inspection in 2010. The dam is regulated by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place.
This dam, nestled in the picturesque landscape of Washington County, serves as a key recreational spot for locals and visitors alike. However, its poor condition and significant hazard potential raise concerns about the safety and integrity of the structure. With a drainage area of 1.91 square miles and a surface area of 7 acres, Woodbury Upper plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, the maintenance and monitoring of dams like Woodbury Upper become even more essential to ensure the safety and sustainability of our water systems.
As enthusiasts of water resources and climate, it is imperative to keep a close eye on the condition and management of dams like Woodbury Upper. With its outdated infrastructure and poor condition, the dam poses a risk to both the environment and the community. Continued monitoring, maintenance, and potential rehabilitation efforts are needed to mitigate the hazard potential and ensure the long-term safety and functionality of this recreational structure in the heart of Vermont's natural beauty.
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 Woodbury Upper -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Branch Winooski River At Wrightsville | 388 cfs | → |
| Winooski River At Montpelier | 1,320 cfs | → |
| Pope Brook (Site W-3) Nr. N. Danville | 10 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Waterbury | 351 cfs | → |
| Lamoille River At Johnson | 889 cfs | → |
| W Branch Little R Abv Bingham Falls Near Stowe | 22 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Woodbury Upper.
Boat launches
- Nelson Pond Road Woodbury
- G A R Road 285, Calais
- Justa Road Calais
- Molly's Pond Boat Launch
- North Pond Road Walden
- Wolcott Pond Road Wolcott
Campgrounds
- Elmore State Park
- Lake Elmore State Park
- New Discovery State Park
- Big Deer State Park
- Stillwater State Park
- Campsite #30
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Folsom Brook
- Proclamation Boundary To Proclamation Boundary
- Confluence With Alder Creek To Confluence With Middlebury River
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Headwaters To End Of Fs Road 243
Track Woodbury Upper 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 Woodbury Upper
Where does the data for Woodbury Upper 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 Woodbury Upper.