Cooks Dam is a stone dam located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 32 ft32 ft tall, taller than 74% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Cooks Dam
The primary purpose of Cooks 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 Mill River near Northampton.
The dam stands 32 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 48 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 48 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 05/18/2022.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampshire |
| Nearest City | Northampton |
| River/Stream | Mill River |
| Coordinates | 42.34770, -72.70070 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Stone |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 48 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 48 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 48 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 48 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,850 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Northampton |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/18/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA00756 |
| Federal ID | MA00756 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |