North Meadows Dike

North Meadows Dike is an earth dam located in Hartford County, Connecticut, built in 1939. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About North Meadows Dike

The primary purpose of North Meadows Dike is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City Of Hartford (local government). It impounds the Connecticut River.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 16,400 feet across, and collects water from a drainage area of 10,480 square miles. Completed in 1939, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam.

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.

High HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateConnecticut
CountyHartford
River/StreamConnecticut River
Coordinates41.79019, -72.64934

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height24 ft
Dam Height24 ft
Dam Length16,400 ft
Year Completed1939 (87 years old)

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerCity of Hartford
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCT01728
Federal IDCT01728
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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