Forest Lake Dam is a masonry dam located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, built in 1930. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 14 ft14 ft tall and 53 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Forest Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Forest Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bruce D. Oberfest, Trustee (private). It impounds the Bates Brook near New Fairfield.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 53 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 57 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1930, 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.
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Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | Fairfield |
| Nearest City | New Fairfield |
| River/Stream | Bates Brook |
| Coordinates | 41.48097, -73.48051 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Masonry |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 53 ft |
| Year Completed | 1930 (96 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Bruce D. Oberfest, Trustee |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT00351 |
| Federal ID | CT00351 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |