Littleville Dam - Saddle Dike
Littleville Dam - Saddle Dike is a gravity dam located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Littleville Dam - Saddle Dike
The primary purpose of Littleville Dam - Saddle 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 Usace - New England District (federal). It impounds the Westfield River near Hampden.
The dam stands 46 feet tall and stretches 935 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 275 acres, and collects water from a drainage area of 52 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/01/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 46 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.
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 | Hampden |
| River/Stream | Westfield River |
| Coordinates | 42.26617, -72.87605 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 46 ft |
| Dam Height | 46 ft |
| Dam Length | 935 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| Surface Area | 275 acres |
| Drainage Area | 52 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - New England District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 11/01/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00968 |
| Federal ID | MA00968S001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |