Lower Artichoke Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Essex County, Massachusetts, built in 1920. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 500 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 Lower Artichoke Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Lower Artichoke Reservoir Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City of Newburyport (local government). It impounds the Artichoke River near Newburyport.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 0 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century old.
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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 12/06/2018.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Essex |
| Nearest City | Newburyport |
| River/Stream | Artichoke River |
| Coordinates | 42.81330, -70.93171 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 192 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 0 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | City of Newburyport |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 12/06/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00264 |
| Federal ID | MA00264 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |