Hall Meadow Brook Flood Control Dam

Hall Meadow Brook Flood Control Dam is an earth dam located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionSatisfactoryBest of 4 ratings
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection05/25/2023
Height75 ft
Built196264 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 75 ft
75 FT TEN-STORY BUILDINGMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

75 ft tall and 1,200 ft long, taller than 97% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.

About Hall Meadow Brook Flood Control Dam

The primary purpose of Hall Meadow Brook Flood Control Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Connecticut Deep (state). It impounds the Hall Meadow Brook near Torrington.

The dam stands 75 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 372 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,620 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 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 05/25/2023.

At 75 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.

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

StateConnecticut
CountyLitchfield
Nearest CityTorrington
River/StreamHall Meadow Brook
Coordinates41.86836, -73.16763

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height75 ft
Dam Height75 ft
Dam Length1,200 ft
Year Completed1962 (64 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage14,620 acre-ft
Max Storage14,620 acre-ft
Normal Storage14,620 acre-ft
Surface Area372 acres
Drainage Area17 sq mi
Max Discharge19,200 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerConnecticut Deep
Owner TypeState
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection05/25/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCT00497
Federal IDCT00497
More InfoState Dam Safety Program