Richards Reservoir Upper Dam is an earth dam located in Franklin County, Massachusetts. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 9 ft9 ft tall and 119 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 Richards Reservoir Upper Dam
The primary purpose of Richards Reservoir Upper Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ma Department of Conservation & Recreation (state). It impounds the Black Brook near Warwick.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 119 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 21 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 117 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 05/13/2021.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Franklin |
| Nearest City | Warwick |
| River/Stream | Black Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.69841, -72.31927 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 119 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 117 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 117 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 64 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 21 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 105 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ma Department of Conservation & Recreation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/13/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00056 |
| Federal ID | MA00056 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |