Hands Mill
Hands Mill is an earth dam located in Orange County, Vermont, built in 1860. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Hands Mill
Hands Mill is a dam in Orange, Vermont. The dam is owned by Town Of Washington (local government). It impounds the Jail Branch near Washington.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 325 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 16 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1860, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 08/11/2015. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Vermont |
| County | Orange |
| Nearest City | Washington |
| River/Stream | Jail Branch |
| Coordinates | 44.10545, -72.42981 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 325 ft |
| Year Completed | 1860 (166 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 16 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 16 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | TOWN OF WASHINGTON |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/11/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | VT00308 |
| Federal ID | VT00308 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |