Paper Mill Pond Dam

About Paper Mill Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Paper Mill Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town Of Vernon (local government). It impounds the Hockanum River near Vernon.

The dam creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 90 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 16 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 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 07/09/2012. 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.

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