Red Mills Dam

Red Mills Dam is a concrete dam located in Columbia County, New York, built in 1938. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Red Mills Dam

The primary purpose of Red Mills Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Merchant & Ivory Foundation (private). It impounds the Claverack Creek near Claverack.

The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 245 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 166 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 57 square miles. Completed in 1938, 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/04/2022.

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Significant HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateNew York
CountyColumbia
Nearest CityClaverack
River/StreamClaverack Creek
Coordinates42.22111, -73.71167

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height19 ft
Dam Height19 ft
Dam Length245 ft
Year Completed1938 (88 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage166 acre-ft
Max Storage166 acre-ft
Normal Storage80 acre-ft
Surface Area14 acres
Drainage Area57 sq mi
Max Discharge7,862 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerMerchant & Ivory Foundation
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection05/04/2022
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDNY01306
Federal IDNY01306
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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