Wheeler Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Hampden County, Massachusetts, built in 1956. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 17 ft17 ft tall and 485 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 Wheeler Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Wheeler Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town of Brimfield (local government). It impounds the Hollow Brook near Brimfield.
The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 485 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 16 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 774 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1956, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/13/2019.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampden |
| Nearest City | Brimfield |
| River/Stream | Hollow Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.11772, -72.20987 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Length | 485 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 774 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 774 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 86 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Brimfield |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/13/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00077 |
| Federal ID | MA00077 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |