Wilmington Dam

Wilmington Dam is a concrete dam located in Essex County, New York, built in 1937. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

About Wilmington Dam

Wilmington Dam is a dam in Essex, New York. The dam is owned by Town Of Wilmington (local government). It impounds the West Branch Ausable River near Wilmington.

The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 255 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 250 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 142 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/01/2022.

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Significant HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateNew York
CountyEssex
Nearest CityWilmington
River/StreamWest Branch Ausable River
Coordinates44.38972, -73.81694

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height16 ft
Dam Height16 ft
Dam Length255 ft
Year Completed1937 (89 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage250 acre-ft
Max Storage250 acre-ft
Normal Storage166 acre-ft
Surface Area26 acres
Drainage Area142 sq mi
Max Discharge16,130 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeOther
OwnerTOWN OF WILMINGTON
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Last Inspection09/01/2022
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDNY00246
Federal IDNY00246
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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