Balch Pond Dike
Balch Pond Dike is an earth dam located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Balch Pond Dike
The primary purpose of Balch Pond Dike is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Town Of Ayer (local government). It impounds the N/a near Ayer.
The dam stands 3 feet tall and stretches 310 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/25/2019.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| Nearest City | Ayer |
| River/Stream | N/a |
| Coordinates | 42.55407, -71.57372 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 3 ft |
| Dam Length | 310 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 47 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Town of Ayer |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 09/25/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA01186 |
| Federal ID | MA00135S001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |