Charles River Dam at South Natick is an earth dam located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 14 ft14 ft tall and 200 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 Charles River Dam at South Natick
The primary purpose of Charles River Dam at South Natick is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town of Natick (local government). It impounds the Charles River near Natick.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 165 square miles.
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 10/26/2023.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Nearest City | Natick |
| River/Stream | Charles River |
| Coordinates | 42.27155, -71.31575 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 220 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 165 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Natick |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/26/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00341 |
| Federal ID | MA00341 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |