St. Albans North Reservoir
St. Albans North Reservoir is an earth dam located in Franklin County, Vermont, built in 1895. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About St. Albans North Reservoir
The primary purpose of St. Albans North Reservoir is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of St. Albans (local government). It impounds the Mill River near Fairfax.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 39 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 750 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1895, 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 08/01/2024.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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 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 | Franklin |
| Nearest City | Fairfax |
| River/Stream | Mill River |
| Coordinates | 44.76225, -73.06321 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1895 (131 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 750 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 750 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 39 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,160 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | CITY OF ST. ALBANS |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/01/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VT00058 |
| Federal ID | VT00058 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |