Scoville Reservoir Dam
Scoville Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in New Haven County, Connecticut, built in 1917. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Scoville Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Scoville Reservoir 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 Wolcott (local government). It impounds the Mad River near Wolcott, Waterbury.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 280 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 138 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1917, the structure is over a century 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/01/2023.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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 | New Haven |
| Nearest City | Wolcott, Waterbury |
| River/Stream | Mad River |
| Coordinates | 41.58136, -72.98405 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 280 ft |
| Year Completed | 1917 (109 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 138 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,454 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Wolcott |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/01/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00294 |
| Federal ID | CT00294 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |