Fitzgerald Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, built in 1965. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 550 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 Fitzgerald Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Fitzgerald Lake 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 Northampton (local government). It impounds the Broad Brook near Northampton.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 550 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 49 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 420 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 04/26/2023.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampshire |
| Nearest City | Northampton |
| River/Stream | Broad Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.35634, -72.65944 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 550 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 420 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 420 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 294 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 300 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Northampton |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/26/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00496 |
| Federal ID | MA00496 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |