Burnshirt River Dam is an earth dam located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 8 ft8 ft tall and 350 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 Burnshirt River Dam
The primary purpose of Burnshirt River Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Ma Department of Fish and Game (state). It impounds the Burnshirt River, Wine Brook near Phillipston.
The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 267 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 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 03/24/2021.
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Location
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Worcester |
| Nearest City | Phillipston |
| River/Stream | Burnshirt River, Wine Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.53556, -72.09794 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 267 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 267 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 335 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Ma Department of Fish and Game |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/24/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MA02566 |
| Federal ID | MA02566 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |