Mad River Dam Homestead Avenue Dam
Mad River Dam Homestead Avenue Dam is an earth dam located in New Haven County, Connecticut, built in 1900. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Mad River Dam Homestead Avenue Dam
The primary purpose of Mad River Dam Homestead Avenue 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 Deangelis (private). It impounds the Mad River near Waterbury.
The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 492 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 110 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1900, the structure is over a century old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/20/2012. That was 13 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Connecticut dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | New Haven |
| Nearest City | Waterbury |
| River/Stream | Mad River |
| Coordinates | 41.54963, -73.00649 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 492 ft |
| Year Completed | 1900 (126 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 110 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 110 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
| Drainage Area | 17 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,860 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | DeAngelis |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/20/2012 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00030 |
| Federal ID | CT00030 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |