Porter Reservoir Dam

Porter Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Hartford County, Connecticut, built in 1902. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Porter Reservoir Dam

The primary purpose of Porter Reservoir Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Town Of Manchester (local government). It impounds the Porter Brook Trib near Manchester.

The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1902, the structure is over a century old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/30/2019.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.

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Significant HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateConnecticut
CountyHartford
Nearest CityManchester
River/StreamPorter Brook Trib
Coordinates41.77611, -72.48618

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height32 ft
Dam Height32 ft
Dam Length600 ft
Year Completed1902 (124 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage100 acre-ft
Max Storage100 acre-ft
Normal Storage45 acre-ft
Surface Area7 acres
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge970 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeWater Supply
OwnerTown of Manchester
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection07/30/2019
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCT00014
Federal IDCT00014
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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