Payson dam
Payson
Payson, located in Thetford, Vermont, is a private recreation dam on the Ompompanoosuc River. Built in 1975 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 15 feet tall and stretches 180 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 90 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is currently in poor condition and was last inspected in 1980. The state jurisdiction, regulatory agency, permitting, and inspection requirements are all in place, ensuring the safety and compliance of the structure.
The Payson dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 20 acres for leisure activities. While it is currently rated as a moderate risk due to its poor condition, the dam's spillway is uncontrolled, indicating that it may need upgrades to meet modern safety standards. The surrounding area of Orange County, Vermont, benefits from the dam's presence, providing a scenic and recreational spot for locals and visitors alike. With its historical significance and potential for enhancement, the Payson dam presents an opportunity for collaboration between agencies and stakeholders to improve its safety and functionality for the future.
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 Payson -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ompompanoosuc River At Union Village | 16 cfs | → |
| White River At West Hartford | 1,580 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At West Lebanon | 9,730 cfs | → |
| Ottauquechee River At North Hartland | 427 cfs | → |
| East Orange Branch At East Orange | 27 cfs | → |
| Ayers Brook At Randolph | 69 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Payson.
Boat launches
- Post Pond Boat Launch
- Connecticut River Boat Launch
- Reservoir Pond Boat Launch
- Mascoma Lake Boat Launch
- Indian Pond Boat Launch
- Upper Baker Pond Boat Launch
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Headwaters To Woodstock, Vt
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Headwaters To Folsom Brook
- Proclamation Boundary To Proclamation Boundary
Track Payson 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 Payson
Where does the data for Payson 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 Payson.