Artichoke River Dam
Artichoke River Dam is an earth dam located in Essex County, Massachusetts, built in 1950. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Artichoke River Dam
Artichoke River Dam is a dam in Essex, Massachusetts. The dam is owned by Judith Bliss Welch Trust (private). It impounds the Artichoke River near Newburyport.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 176 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1950, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 05/28/2015. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Essex |
| Nearest City | Newburyport |
| River/Stream | Artichoke River |
| Coordinates | 42.81924, -70.93735 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 150 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 176 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 176 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 79 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Judith Bliss Welch Trust |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 05/28/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA01600 |
| Federal ID | MA01600 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |