North Branch Dam is an earth dam located in Windsor County, Vermont, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 75 ft75 ft tall and 900 ft long, taller than 97% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About North Branch Dam
The primary purpose of North Branch Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by USACE - New England District (federal). It impounds the North Branch Black River near Weathersfield.
The dam stands 75 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 65 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 29 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/02/2022.
At 75 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Windsor |
| Nearest City | Weathersfield |
| River/Stream | North Branch Black River |
| Coordinates | 43.37575, -72.49952 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Length | 900 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 65 acres |
| Drainage Area | 29 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,440 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | USACE - New England District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/02/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VT00286 |
| Federal ID | VT00286 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |