Framingham Reservoir No. 1 Dam

About Framingham Reservoir No. 1 Dam

The primary purpose of Framingham Reservoir No. 1 Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Ma Department Of Conservation & Recreation (state). It impounds the Sudbury River near Framingham.

The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 130 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,075 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 74 square miles. Completed in 1878, 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 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 08/18/2022.

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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