Williams dam
Williams
Williams is a concrete dam located in Londonderry, Vermont, along the West River. Built in 1900, this structure stands at a height of 20 feet and has a length of 117 feet, with a storage capacity of 75 acre-feet. Despite its age, Williams is regulated and inspected by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations. The dam has a low hazard potential, but its condition has been assessed as poor, indicating a need for maintenance and potential upgrades to ensure its long-term functionality.
The primary purpose of Williams is classified as "Other," and it serves various functions beyond just water storage. The dam is owned by the local government and falls under state jurisdiction for regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The surrounding area has a drainage area of 44 square miles, with a surface area of 8 acres. Although the dam has not undergone recent modifications, its last inspection in August 2015 highlighted the need for improvements to meet safety standards and ensure its resilience in the face of potential climate challenges.
In the event of an emergency, the dam's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) status is unknown, raising potential concerns about preparedness and response capabilities. With a designated inspection frequency of 10 years, stakeholders may need to prioritize addressing the poor condition assessment to mitigate risks and ensure the continued functionality of Williams for water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
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 Williams -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West River At Jamaica | 419 cfs | → |
| West River Below Townshend Dam Near Townshend | 46 cfs | → |
| Black River At North Springfield | 300 cfs | → |
| Williams River Near Rockingham Vt | 197 cfs | → |
| Saxtons River At Saxtons River | 19 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At North Walpole | 18,700 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Williams.
Boat launches
- Ice House Road Londonderry
- Winhall Station Road Londonderry
- Gale Meadow Road Londonderry
- Town Shed Road Manchester
- Dufresne Pond Road Manchester
- Fishing Access Road Ludlow
Campgrounds
- Winhall Brook
- Hapgood Pond Recreation Area
- Hapgood Pond
- Horseshoe Acres Campground
- 279a Site #1
- 279 Campsite
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Crossing Of Route 100 Near Route 155
- End Of Kendall Farm Road To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To End Of Kendall Farm Road
- Confluence With Otter Creek To Ten Kilns Brook
- First Bridge Upstream On Route 100 To Confluence With West River
- Headwaters To First Bridge Upstream On Route 100
More reservoirs
Track Williams 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 Williams
Where does the data for Williams 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 Williams.