Shady Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Tolland County, Connecticut. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 560 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Shady Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Shady Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Shady Lake Homeowners Association (private). It impounds the Gulf Stream.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles.
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. 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 12/16/2024.
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Location
| State | Connecticut |
| County | Tolland |
| River/Stream | Gulf Stream |
| Coordinates | 41.98367, -72.44510 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 560 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Shady Lake Homeowners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 12/16/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT01285 |
| Federal ID | CT01285 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |