Pierce Pond Dam

Pierce Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Worcester County, Massachusetts, built in 1911. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Pierce Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Pierce Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Leominster Land Trust, Inc.;sebastian A. Dill;stanley P. Ricker, Cathleen Ricker, And Katie (ricker) Dubenetsky (private). It impounds the Monoosnoc Brook near Leominster.

The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 470 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 158 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1911, the structure is over a century old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. 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 09/21/2023.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Massachusetts dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateMassachusetts
CountyWorcester
Nearest CityLeominster
River/StreamMonoosnoc Brook
Coordinates42.54537, -71.78126

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height15 ft
Dam Length470 ft
Year Completed1911 (115 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage158 acre-ft
Max Storage158 acre-ft
Normal Storage86 acre-ft
Surface Area28 acres
Drainage Area6 sq mi
Max Discharge945 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerLeominster Land Trust, Inc.;Sebastian A. Dill;Stanley P. Ricker, Cathleen Ricker, and Katie (Ricker) Dubenetsky
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection09/21/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMA00883
Federal IDMA00883
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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