Lake Boon Dam is an earth dam located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, built in 1847. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 477 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 Lake Boon Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Boon 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 Stow (local government). It impounds the Bailey Brook, Tributary of Assabet River near Stow.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 477 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 173 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,644 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1847, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
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 10/01/2018.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Nearest City | Stow |
| River/Stream | Bailey Brook, Tributary of Assabet River |
| Coordinates | 42.40557, -71.50653 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 477 ft |
| Year Completed | 1847 (179 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,644 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,644 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,223 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 173 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Stow |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/01/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00137 |
| Federal ID | MA00137 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |