South Meadows Dike is an earth dam located in Hartford County, Connecticut, built in 1939. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 43 ft43 ft tall and 11,400 ft long, taller than 89% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 South Meadows Dike
The primary purpose of South Meadows Dike 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 City of Hartford (local government). It impounds the Connecticut River.
The dam stands 43 feet tall and stretches 11,400 feet across, and collects water from a drainage area of 10,480 square miles. Completed in 1939, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam.
At 43 feet, this dam is taller than 89% 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 | Hartford |
| River/Stream | Connecticut River |
| Coordinates | 41.73839, -72.64478 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 43 ft |
| Dam Height | 43 ft |
| Dam Length | 11,400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Hartford |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CT01709 |
| Federal ID | CT01709 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |