Wallum Lake is a masonry dam located in Providence County, Rhode Island, built in 1866. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

Hazard potentialSignificantFailure could cause major damage
ConditionFair2nd of 4 ratings
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height10 ft
Built1866160 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 10 ft
10 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

10 ft tall and 80 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 Wallum Lake

The primary purpose of Wallum Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ri Hillcroft, Inc. (local government). It impounds the Clear River near Burrillville.

The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 80 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 322 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1866, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 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.

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Location

StateRhode Island
CountyProvidence
Nearest CityBurrillville
River/StreamClear River
Coordinates42.00071, -71.76204

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeMasonry
NID Height10 ft
Dam Height7 ft
Dam Length80 ft
Year Completed1866 (160 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage10,000 acre-ft
Max Storage10,000 acre-ft
Normal Storage9,000 acre-ft
Surface Area322 acres
Drainage Area2 sq mi
Max Discharge80 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerRi Hillcroft, Inc.
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentFair
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDRI00301
Federal IDRI00301
More InfoState Dam Safety Program