Bleachery Pond

Bleachery Pond is an earth dam located in Providence County, Rhode Island, built in 1883. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionFair2nd of 4 ratings
Emergency action planNone on file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height8 ft
Built1883143 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 8 ft
8 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

8 ft tall and 400 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.

About Bleachery Pond

The primary purpose of Bleachery Pond is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Wall St Investments LLC (private). It impounds the Moshassuck River near Lincoln.

The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 30 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7 square miles. Completed in 1883, 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.

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

StateRhode Island
CountyProvidence
Nearest CityLincoln
River/StreamMoshassuck River
Coordinates41.89273, -71.40858

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height8 ft
Dam Height8 ft
Dam Length400 ft
Year Completed1883 (143 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage30 acre-ft
Max Storage30 acre-ft
Normal Storage20 acre-ft
Surface Area8 acres
Drainage Area7 sq mi
Max Discharge1,375 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerWall St Investments LLC
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDRI04238
Federal IDRI04238
More InfoState Dam Safety Program