Bleachery Dam

Bleachery Dam is a dam located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, built in 1900. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Bleachery Dam

The primary purpose of Bleachery Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ma Department Of Conservation & Recreation (state). It impounds the Charles River near Waltham.

The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 115 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 262 square miles. Completed in 1900, the structure is over a century old.

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 03/29/2017.

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Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMassachusetts
CountyMiddlesex
Nearest CityWaltham
River/StreamCharles River
Coordinates42.36909, -71.22297

Physical Characteristics

NID Height8 ft
Dam Length150 ft
Year Completed1900 (126 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage115 acre-ft
Max Storage115 acre-ft
Normal Storage60 acre-ft
Surface Area14 acres
Drainage Area262 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerMA Department of Conservation & Recreation
Owner TypeState
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection03/29/2017
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMA01110
Federal IDMA01110
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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