Wilmington Dam is a concrete dam located in Essex County, New York, built in 1937. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 255 ft long. 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 Wilmington Dam
Wilmington Dam is a dam in Essex, New York. The dam is owned by Town of Wilmington (local government). It impounds the West Branch Ausable River near Wilmington.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 255 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 250 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 142 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/01/2022.
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Location
| State | New York |
| County | Essex |
| Nearest City | Wilmington |
| River/Stream | West Branch Ausable River |
| Coordinates | 44.38972, -73.81694 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 255 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 250 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 250 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 166 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 26 acres |
| Drainage Area | 142 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 16,130 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Town of Wilmington |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/01/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00246 |
| Federal ID | NY00246 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |