Bel Air Dam
Bel Air Dam is an earth dam located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Bel Air Dam
The primary purpose of Bel Air Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Last Known Owner - Deceased - J. Barry Hollister (private). It impounds the West Branch Housatonic River near Pittsfield.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 56 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 22 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/30/2024.
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 | Berkshire |
| Nearest City | Pittsfield |
| River/Stream | West Branch Housatonic River |
| Coordinates | 42.47106, -73.24821 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 24 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 22 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 420 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Last Known Owner - Deceased - J. Barry Hollister |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/30/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA01061 |
| Federal ID | MA01061 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |