Fernwood Lake North Dam

About Fernwood Lake North Dam

The primary purpose of Fernwood Lake North Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Gloucester (local government). It impounds the Annisquam River near Gloucester.

The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 480 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 293 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1877, the structure is over a century old.

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. 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 01/05/2024.

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 Massachusetts dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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