Ben Smith Dam is a masonry dam located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, built in 1870. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 9 ft9 ft tall and 170 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Ben Smith Dam
The primary purpose of Ben Smith Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Gp Mm Owner LLC (private). It impounds the Assabet River near Maynard.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 170 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 760 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 115 square miles. Completed in 1870, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
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 09/21/2017.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Nearest City | Maynard |
| River/Stream | Assabet River |
| Coordinates | 42.42722, -71.46922 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Masonry |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 170 ft |
| Year Completed | 1870 (156 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 760 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 760 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 760 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 115 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Gp Mm Owner LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/21/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00752 |
| Federal ID | MA00752 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |