Clark Site No. 2 dam
Clark Site No. 2
Clark Site No. 2, located in Topsham, Vermont, is a privately owned recreational dam constructed in 1974 by the USDA NRCS. This earth dam on the Tabor Branch-TR river stands at a height of 32 feet with a length of 725 feet, providing a storage capacity of 105 acre-feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of recreation, offering a surface area of 8 acres for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
Managed by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Clark Site No. 2 is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, with a significant hazard potential and fair condition assessment. Despite being modified over the years, the risk assessment is moderate, with a 3 rating. The last inspection in 2011 revealed a need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to mitigate potential risks to the surrounding area.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate Clark Site No. 2 for its role in providing recreational opportunities while highlighting the importance of proper dam management and maintenance to ensure public safety and environmental protection. With its picturesque location in Orange County, Vermont, this dam serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between human recreation and natural resource conservation 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 Clark Site No. 2 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Orange Branch At East Orange | 27 cfs | → |
| Wells River At Wells River | 241 cfs | → |
| Connecticut River At Wells River | 5,320 cfs | → |
| Passumpsic River At Passumpsic | 1,110 cfs | → |
| Winooski River At Montpelier | 1,150 cfs | → |
| North Branch Winooski River At Wrightsville | 285 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Clark Site No. 2.
Boat launches
- Camp Road Peacham
- Peacham Pond Boat Ramp
- French Pond Boat Launch
- Taylor Road Peacham
- Molly's Pond Boat Launch
- Harveys Hollow Road Peacham
Campgrounds
- Ricker Pond State Park
- Stillwater State Park
- Big Deer State Park
- Harkdale Farm Campsite
- New Discovery State Park
- Bugbee Landing Campsite
Paddle runs
- Headwaters At Profile Lake To Southern Boundary Of Franconia Notch State Park
- Woodstock/Thornton Town Line To Thornton Railroad Bridge
- Headwaters To Folsom Brook
- Thornton Railroad Bridge To Bridgewater/Bristol Town Line
- Source Above Fr 55 To Proclamation Boundary (Stony Brook)
- Proclamation Boundary To Proclamation Boundary
More reservoirs
Track Clark Site No. 2 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 Clark Site No. 2
Where does the data for Clark Site No. 2 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 Clark Site No. 2.