Bare Hill Pond Dam

Bare Hill Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, built in 1837. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Bare Hill Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Bare Hill Pond 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 Harvard (local government). It impounds the Tributary Of Bowers Brook near Harvard.

The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 278 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 324 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1837, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.

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 09/09/2020.

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Significant HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateMassachusetts
CountyWorcester
Nearest CityHarvard
River/StreamTributary Of Bowers Brook
Coordinates42.49726, -71.59553

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height9 ft
Dam Length278 ft
Year Completed1837 (189 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage4,000 acre-ft
Max Storage4,000 acre-ft
Normal Storage3,292 acre-ft
Surface Area324 acres
Drainage Area3 sq mi
Max Discharge543 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerTown of Harvard
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection09/09/2020
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMA00822
Federal IDMA00822
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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