Lake Wyola Dam
Lake Wyola Dam is a stone dam located in Franklin County, Massachusetts. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Wyola Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Wyola Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town Of Shutesbury (local government). It impounds the Sawmill River near Shutesbury.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 124 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,069 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 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 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 05/12/2023.
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 | Franklin |
| Nearest City | Shutesbury |
| River/Stream | Sawmill River |
| Coordinates | 42.50212, -72.43601 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Stone |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 150 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,069 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,069 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 815 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 124 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,700 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Shutesbury |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/12/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00510 |
| Federal ID | MA00510 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |