Bleachery Dam
Bleachery Dam is a dam located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, built in 1920. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Bleachery Dam
The primary purpose of Bleachery Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town Of New Milford (local government). It impounds the Housatonic River near New Milford.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 100 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,120 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 10/16/2024.
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Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | Litchfield |
| Nearest City | New Milford |
| River/Stream | Housatonic River |
| Coordinates | 41.56577, -73.41151 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 100 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,120 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 21,000 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of New Milford |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/16/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00229 |
| Federal ID | CT00229 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |