Cottage Street Dam
Cottage Street Dam is an earth dam located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Cottage Street Dam
The primary purpose of Cottage Street Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Easthampton (local government). It impounds the Broad Brook & White Brook near Easthampton.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 435 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles.
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 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 11/30/2023.
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 Massachusetts 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.
Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampshire |
| Nearest City | Easthampton |
| River/Stream | Broad Brook & White Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.26523, -72.66834 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 435 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 435 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 305 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 30 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Easthampton |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/30/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00487 |
| Federal ID | MA00487 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |