Ipswich Mills Dam

Ipswich Mills Dam is a dam located in Essex County, Massachusetts, built in 1637. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Ipswich Mills Dam

Ipswich Mills Dam is a dam in Essex, Massachusetts. The dam is owned by Town Of Ipswich (local government). It impounds the Ipswich River near Ipswich.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 180 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 149 square miles. Completed in 1637, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/04/2020.

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Low HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMassachusetts
CountyEssex
Nearest CityIpswich
River/StreamIpswich River
Coordinates42.67767, -70.83777

Physical Characteristics

NID Height11 ft
Dam Length180 ft
Year Completed1637 (389 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage300 acre-ft
Max Storage300 acre-ft
Normal Storage200 acre-ft
Surface Area20 acres
Drainage Area149 sq mi
Max Discharge3,900 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

OwnerTown of Ipswich
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection09/04/2020
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMA00231
Federal IDMA00231
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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