Slatersville Reservoir Upper is a masonry dam located in Providence County, Rhode Island, built in 1886. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 256 ft long, taller than 82% 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 Slatersville Reservoir Upper
Slatersville Reservoir Upper is a dam in Providence, Rhode Island. The dam is owned by Dudley Development Corp. (private). It impounds the Branch River near North Smithfield.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 256 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 147 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,640 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 89 square miles. Completed in 1886, the structure is over a century old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Rhode Island dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Rhode Island |
| County | Providence |
| Nearest City | North Smithfield |
| River/Stream | Branch River |
| Coordinates | 41.99433, -71.59480 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Masonry |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 256 ft |
| Year Completed | 1886 (140 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,640 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,640 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,970 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 147 acres |
| Drainage Area | 89 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 12,118 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Owner | Dudley Development Corp. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | RI02501 |
| Federal ID | RI02501 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |