Upper Guilford Lakes Dam

About Upper Guilford Lakes Dam

The primary purpose of Upper Guilford Lakes Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Guilford Lakes Improvement Association (private). It impounds the East River near Guilford.

The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 83 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1929, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/11/2023.

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