Smith Farm

About Smith Farm

The primary purpose of Smith Farm 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 Herschel Smith Farm Family Limited Partnership (private). It impounds the Smith Brook.

The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 180 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1966, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 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 11/01/2023.

At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.

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