National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Bell Pond Dam (MA 00148), Blackstone River Basin, Worcester, Massachusetts. Phase I Inspection Report.
Abstract
Bell Pond is located in a depression on top of a bedrock hill. An earthfill dam built some time prior to 1843, it is located on the south shore of the pond. The dam is 230 feet long and has a maximum height of 3.7 feet. At the northwest corner of the pond is acatch basin with an outlet pipe at invert EL 668.8. This serves as the only spillway at the site. Generally, the dam is in fair condition. The dam is considered to be a hazard because of the lack of a low-level regulating outlet and the accumulation of debris at the upstream end of the existing catch basin outlet. The following are other signs of distress observed at the site: slight seepage through the embankment of the dam along the downstream toe, a dense growth of trees and brush on the downstream slope of the dam, and deteriorated concrete and accumulated debris in the stormwater drainage basin below the erosion control channels. Hydraulic analyses indicate that the outlet pipe at the catch basin can discharge an estimated 20 cubic feet per second (cfs) when the pond level is at El 670.0, which is the low point on the crest of the dam. A test flood outflow (one-half probable maximum flood (PMF)) of 36 cfs will overtop the dam by a maximum of 0.2 feet. The outlet pipe can discharge about 56 percent of the test flood outflow.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA150641
Entities
Organizations
- New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers