Upper Little River is a concrete dam located in Waldo County, Maine, built in 1910. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 169 ft long, taller than 78% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Upper Little River
The primary purpose of Upper Little River is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Belfast Water District (public utility). It impounds the Little River.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 169 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 49 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 850 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 13 square miles. Completed in 1910, the structure is over a century old.
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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/13/2022.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Maine |
| County | Waldo |
| River/Stream | Little River |
| Coordinates | 44.39889, -69.00389 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 169 ft |
| Year Completed | 1910 (116 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 850 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 850 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 480 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Drainage Area | 13 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Belfast Water District |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/13/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ME00289 |
| Federal ID | ME00289 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |