Lake Bray Dam is an earth dam located in Hampden County, Massachusetts. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 13 ft13 ft tall and 420 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 Lake Bray Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Bray Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ma Department of Conservation & Recreation (state). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary of Connecticut River near Holyoke.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 420 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 93 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. 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 05/24/2021.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampden |
| Nearest City | Holyoke |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary of Connecticut River |
| Coordinates | 42.26726, -72.61533 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 420 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 93 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 93 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 42 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ma Department of Conservation & Recreation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/24/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00537 |
| Federal ID | MA00537 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |