Pilchs No. 3 Dam is an earth dam located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, built in 1948. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 15 ft15 ft tall and 800 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Pilchs No. 3 Dam
The primary purpose of Pilchs No. 3 Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by John R. Pilch (private). It impounds the Ware River near Ware.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 85 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1948, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 11/27/2019.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Hampshire |
| Nearest City | Ware |
| River/Stream | Ware River |
| Coordinates | 42.25231, -72.29336 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 85 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 85 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | John R. Pilch |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/27/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA01275 |
| Federal ID | MA01275 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |