Lake Chaffee Dam
Lake Chaffee Dam is an earth dam located in Windham County, Connecticut, built in 1880. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Chaffee Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Chaffee Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ference;lake Chaffee Improvement Association;richards (private). It impounds the Mountt Hope River Trib near Ashford.
The dam stands 3 feet tall and stretches 21 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 57 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 412 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1880, 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 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 03/27/2021.
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Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | Windham |
| Nearest City | Ashford |
| River/Stream | Mountt Hope River Trib |
| Coordinates | 41.93985, -72.19249 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 3 ft |
| Dam Height | 3 ft |
| Dam Length | 21 ft |
| Year Completed | 1880 (146 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 412 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 412 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 412 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 57 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 220 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ference;Lake Chaffee Improvement Association;Richards |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/27/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00466 |
| Federal ID | CT00466 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |