Silver Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, built in 1896. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 190 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 Silver Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Silver Lake 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 Grafton (local government). It impounds the Miscoe Brook near Grafton.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 190 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 24 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 161 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1896, the structure is over a century old.
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 05/09/2022.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Worcester |
| Nearest City | Grafton |
| River/Stream | Miscoe Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.19053, -71.65560 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 190 ft |
| Year Completed | 1896 (130 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 161 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 161 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 24 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 863 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Grafton |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/09/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00582 |
| Federal ID | MA00582 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |