Barber Pond Dam
Barber Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Hartford County, Connecticut, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Barber Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Barber Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Connecticut Deep (state). It impounds the Mill Brook near Bloomfield.
The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 66 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/08/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | Hartford |
| Nearest City | Bloomfield |
| River/Stream | Mill Brook |
| Coordinates | 41.86090, -72.68970 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Connecticut DEEP |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/08/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00269 |
| Federal ID | CT00269 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |