Lake Sadawga
Lake Sadawga is an earth dam located in Windham County, Vermont, built in 1880. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Sadawga
The primary purpose of Lake Sadawga is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by State Of Vermont - Dfw (state). It impounds the Harriman Reservoir-tr near Whitingham.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 455 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 194 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,939 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1880, 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 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 07/06/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 Vermont 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 | Vermont |
| County | Windham |
| Nearest City | Whitingham |
| River/Stream | Harriman Reservoir-tr |
| Coordinates | 42.78901, -72.88051 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 455 ft |
| Year Completed | 1880 (146 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,939 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,939 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 194 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | STATE OF VERMONT - DFW |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 07/06/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VT00012 |
| Federal ID | VT00012 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |