Highland Lake Dam

About Highland Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Highland Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jones;town Of Winchester (local government). It impounds the Mad River Trib near Winchester.

The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 444 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 11,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7 square miles. Completed in 1860, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.

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 04/04/2022.

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 Connecticut dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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