Life could be very different for area residents if not for the dam at North Springfield Lake. The dam is located on the Black River, a tributary of the Connecticut River. Its purpose is to hold back the Black in times of flooding, in order to keep down the level of the main channel of the Connecticut River. North Springfield's dam is one of a series of flood control dams on tributaries of the Connecticut River. These dams have prevented hundreds of millions of dollars in flood damage and protect lives and property in four New England states.

Several physical components of the North Springfield Lake function to help reduce flood stages along the Connecticut River. The dam itself consists of compacted earth and rock fill. The dam at North Springfield Lake has conventional side channel spillway located at the left abutment of the dam with an approach channel floor elevation of 545.5 feet above sea level. The gatehouse is a concrete intake structure that houses the necessary equipment to operate three hydraulic gates. These gates regulate the discharge of water through the dam.

In addition to the dam at North Springfield Lake, a causeway was constructed that maintains a permanent pool inside the reservoir lands. This body of water is known as Stoughton Pond. This structure has a 200 ft wide emergency spillway.

Although the dam is located in North Springfield, the Black River watershed is located throughout Windsor County and some in Rutland County. The river has a drainage area of 204 sq. miles and a length of approximately 39 miles. Nine major tributaries contribute to the Black River and contribute to floods and seasonal run-off. Flood flows and precipitation records are analyzed to determine runoff characteristics of the Black River watershed. These characteristics include time of year, effect of topography, relative timing, and flood peak contributions at downstream centers on the Connecticut River. The greatest run-off occurs during March and April and is associated with snowmelt. Spring snowmelt is not of significant damaging magnitude unless augmented by rainfall, but steep slopes throughout the basin do produce rapid runoff. “Snow courses” are measured in the winter at strategically chosen locations throughout the watershed. Measuring snow depth and density helps to predict the impact of the melting to the tributaries and eventually to the Black River itself.