List of dam removals in Massachusetts

This is a list of dams in Massachusetts that have been removed as physical impediments to free-flowing rivers or streams.

The 2014 removal of the International Paper Co. Dam No. 2 from the Fall River on the border of Greenfield and Gill.

Completed removals

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Dam[1] Height Year removed Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Moody St. Feeder Dam 12 ft (3.7 m)
May Brook Dam 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m)[2] 2009 Windsor May Brook [3]
Robbins Dike Dam 5.5 ft (1.7 m) 2006 Plymouth
41°45′59″N 70°38′06″W / 41.7665°N 70.6351°W / 41.7665; -70.6351 (Robbins Dike Dam)
Red Brook Buttermilk Bay Dam built for trout spawning and cranberry farming.
New Way Dam 2 ft (0.61 m) 2008 Wareham
41°45′57″N 70°38′05″W / 41.7659°N 70.6346°W / 41.7659; -70.6346 (New Way Dam)
Lower Flume Dam 2009 Wareham
41°45′55″N 70°38′03″W / 41.7653°N 70.6341°W / 41.7653; -70.6341 (Lower Flume Dam)
Upper Flume Dam 2009 Wareham
41°45′55″N 70°38′03″W / 41.7653°N 70.6342°W / 41.7653; -70.6342 (Upper Flume Dam)
Beaver Dam Brook Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2016 Plymouth
41°54′05″N 70°34′16″W / 41.9013°N 70.5712°W / 41.9013; -70.5712 (Beaver Dam Brook Dam)
Beaver Dam Brook Cape Cod Bay Cranberry farming dam.
West Beaver Dam Brook - Lower Berm 5 ft (1.5 m) 2020 Plymouth
41°54′59″N 70°34′12″W / 41.9163°N 70.5699°W / 41.9163; -70.5699 (West Beaver Dam Brook - Lower Berm)
West Beaver Dam Brook Irrigation dams owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society.
West Beaver Dam Brook - Upper Berm 3 ft (0.91 m) 2020 Plymouth
41°54′55″N 70°34′16″W / 41.9153°N 70.5711°W / 41.9153; -70.5711 (West Beaver Dam Brook - Upper Berm)
Sandwich Game Farm Dam 2006 East Sandwich
41°43′52″N 70°25′38″W / 41.7311°N 70.4273°W / 41.7311; -70.4273 (Sandwich Game Farm Dam)
Mill Creek
Curtis Pond Dam 2012 Middleton
42°37′06″N 71°00′14″W / 42.6183°N 71.0039°W / 42.6183; -71.0039 (Curtis Pond Dam)
Boston Brook Charles River
Lower Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2009 Rowley
42°44′24″N 70°53′17″W / 42.74°N 70.8881°W / 42.74; -70.8881 (Lower Dam)
Ox Pasture Brook Dam built for recreation. Owned by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game.
Traphole Brook Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2022 Norwood
42°09′38″N 71°11′39″W / 42.1606°N 71.1942°W / 42.1606; -71.1942 (Traphole Brook Dam)
Traphole Brook Mill dam owned by the Town of Norwood.
Charles River Mill Dam (Pearl Street Mill Dam) 13.5 ft (4.1 m) 2017 Bellingham
42°07′51″N 71°26′41″W / 42.1307°N 71.4447°W / 42.1307; -71.4447 (Charles River Mill Dam (Pearl Street Mill Dam))
Charles River Mill dam owned by the town.
Upper Cook's Canyon Dam 9.5 ft (2.9 m) 2006 Barre
42°24′52″N 72°06′24″W / 42.4145°N 72.1066°W / 42.4145; -72.1066 (Upper Cook's Canyon Dam)
Galloway Brook Chicopee River
Falmouth Rod & Gun Club Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2021 Falmouth
41°35′36″N 70°31′30″W / 41.5933°N 70.5249°W / 41.5933; -70.5249 (Falmouth Rod & Gun Club Dam)
Childs River Childs River Mill dam owned by the Falmouth Rod and Gun Club.
Coonamessett Lower Bog Dam 2017 Falmouth
41°34′55″N 70°34′24″W / 41.5819°N 70.5734°W / 41.5819; -70.5734 (Coonamessett Lower Bog Dam)
Coonamessett River Coonamessett River Cranberry farming dam owned by the Town of Falmouth.
Coonamessett River Lower Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2018 Falmouth
41°35′07″N 70°34′21″W / 41.5853°N 70.5726°W / 41.5853; -70.5726 (Coonamessett River Lower Dam)
Mill dam owned by the Town of Falmouth.
Middle Bog Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2020 Falmouth
41°35′07″N 70°34′21″W / 41.5853°N 70.5726°W / 41.5853; -70.5726 (Middle Bog Dam)
Cranberry farming dam owned by the Town of Falmouth.
International Paper Co. Dam No. 2 10 ft (3.0 m) 2014 Greenfield and Gill
42°37′32″N 72°32′56″W / 42.6255°N 72.5488°W / 42.6255; -72.5488 (International Paper Co. Dam No. 2)
Fall River Fall River Industrial water supply dam.
Bartlett Rod Shop Co. Dam 20 ft (6.1 m) 2012 Pelham
42°22′44″N 72°28′20″W / 42.379°N 72.4722°W / 42.379; -72.4722 (Bartlett Rod Shop Co. Dam)
Amethyst Brook Fort River Hydropower dam for a fly rod company.
Timber Dam 5 ft (1.5 m) 2016 Pelham
42°22′46″N 72°28′16″W / 42.3794°N 72.471°W / 42.3794; -72.471 (Timber Dam)
Mill dam.
Hall Brook Dam 2009 Adams
42°37′27″N 73°07′27″W / 42.6243°N 73.1241°W / 42.6243; -73.1241 (Hall Brook Dam)
Hoxie Brook Hoosic River
Briggsville Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2010 Clarksburg
42°42′53″N 73°04′59″W / 42.7147°N 73.083°W / 42.7147; -73.083 (Briggsville Dam)
North Branch Hoosic River
Thunder Brook Restoration Project 15 ft (4.6 m) 2012 Cheshire
42°33′54″N 73°10′36″W / 42.5649°N 73.1768°W / 42.5649; -73.1768 (Thunder Brook Restoration Project)
Thunder Brook Town water supply dam.
Lower Hathaway Brook Dam 2010 Dalton
42°25′17″N 73°11′10″W / 42.4215°N 73.186°W / 42.4215; -73.186 (Lower Hathaway Brook Dam)
Hathaway Brook Housatonic River
Upper Hathaway Brook Dam 2010 Dalton
42°25′13″N 73°11′07″W / 42.4204°N 73.1854°W / 42.4204; -73.1854 (Upper Hathaway Brook Dam)
Old Berkshire Mill Dam 2000 Dalton
42°28′14″N 73°10′09″W / 42.4706°N 73.1691°W / 42.4706; -73.1691 (Old Berkshire Mill Dam)
Housatonic River
Gravesleigh Pond Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2013 Pittsfield
42°25′46″N 73°14′11″W / 42.4295°N 73.2365°W / 42.4295; -73.2365 (Gravesleigh Pond Dam)
Sackett Brook Dam built for recreation. Owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society.
Tel-Electric Pond Dam 22 ft (6.7 m) 2020 Pittsfield
42°26′50″N 73°15′50″W / 42.4471°N 73.2638°W / 42.4471; -73.2638 (Tel-Electric Pond Dam)
West Branch Housatonic River Removal of the dam required safely disposing of 8,000 tons (7,300 metric tons) of sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl pollution from a General Electric plant. The project cost around $4 million and benefited an environmental justice community as defined by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.[4]
Lyman Pond Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2022 Southampton
42°13′03″N 72°43′49″W / 42.2174°N 72.7303°W / 42.2174; -72.7303 (Lyman Pond Dam)
Manhan River Manhan River Mill dam. National Inventory of Dams ID MA00500.
Mordecai Lincoln Road Pond Dam (Hunters Pond Dam) 11 ft (3.4 m) 2017 Scituate
42°13′23″N 70°47′19″W / 42.2231°N 70.7887°W / 42.2231; -70.7887 (Mordecai Lincoln Road Pond Dam (Hunters Pond Dam))
Bound Brook Massachusetts Bay Mill dam owned by the Town of Scituate.
Balmoral Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2017 Andover
42°40′21″N 71°08′58″W / 42.6724°N 71.1494°W / 42.6724; -71.1494 (Balmoral Dam)
Shawsheen River Merrimack River Mill dam owned by the Town of Andover.
Marland Place Dam (Stevens Street Dam) 12 ft (3.7 m) 2017 Andover
42°39′44″N 71°08′48″W / 42.6623°N 71.1468°W / 42.6623; -71.1468 (Marland Place Dam (Stevens Street Dam))
Atria Senior Living owns mill dam.
Roberts Meadow Upper Reservoir Dam 30 ft (9.1 m) 2018 Northampton
42°20′17″N 72°43′40″W / 42.338°N 72.7279°W / 42.338; -72.7279 (Roberts Meadow Upper Reservoir Dam)
Roberts Meadow Brook Mill River Water supply dam owned by the City of Northampton, is considered obsolete and unsafe. The removal opened 4 mi (6.4 km) of cold water stream habitat to trout.[5]
Phillipston Reservoir Dam #1 15 ft (4.6 m) 2012 Phillipston
42°34′44″N 72°10′31″W / 42.5789°N 72.1752°W / 42.5789; -72.1752 (Phillipston Reservoir Dam #1)
Thousand Acre Brook Millers River Water supply dams.
Phillipston Reservoir Dam #2 8 ft (2.4 m) 2012 Phillipston
42°34′42″N 72°10′25″W / 42.5784°N 72.1735°W / 42.5784; -72.1735 (Phillipston Reservoir Dam #2)
Whites Mill Pond Dam 2023 Winchendon
42°41′38″N 72°00′44″W / 42.6940°N 72.0121°W / 42.6940; -72.0121 (Whites Mill Pond Dam)
Tributary to North Branch Millers River [6][7]
Carding Mill Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2014 Harwich
41°40′15″N 70°03′43″W / 41.6709°N 70.062°W / 41.6709; -70.062 (Carding Mill Dam)
Cold River Nantucket Sound Mill dam later used for cranberry bog water control.
Gulf Brook Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2021 Pepperell
42°41′57″N 71°38′07″W / 42.6991°N 71.6352°W / 42.6991; -71.6352 (Gulf Brook Dam)
Gulf Brook Nashua River Mill dam was rebuilt in the 1970s for waterfowl. Owned by the Nashoba Conservation Trust.
Millie Turner Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2015 Pepperell
42°40′29″N 71°34′54″W / 42.6748°N 71.5818°W / 42.6748; -71.5818 (Millie Turner Dam)
Nissitissit River Mill dam.
Sucker Brook Dam 7 ft (2.1 m) 2021 Pepperell
42°41′02″N 71°36′35″W / 42.6839°N 71.6096°W / 42.6839; -71.6096 (Sucker Brook Dam)
Sucker Brook Dam built for recreation. Owned by the Town of Pepperell.
Bartlett Pond Dam 2014 Lancaster
42°29′18″N 71°42′51″W / 42.4883°N 71.7141°W / 42.4883; -71.7141 (Bartlett Pond Dam)
Wekepeke Brook Owned by the Town of Lancaster.
Mill Pond Dam 5 to 9 ft (1.5 to 2.7 m) 2014 Hanover
42°08′23″N 70°50′08″W / 42.1397°N 70.8355°W / 42.1397; -70.8355 (Mill Pond Dam)
Third Herring Brook North River The South Shore YMCA owns mill dam.
Tack Factory Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2016 Hanover
42°07′22″N 70°54′30″W / 42.1227°N 70.9082°W / 42.1227; -70.9082 (Tack Factory Dam)
Mill dam.
Unnamed Low Head Dams 3 ft (0.91 m) 2022 Hanover
42°08′48″N 70°50′20″W / 42.1466°N 70.8388°W / 42.1466; -70.8388 (Unnamed Low Head Dams)
Stormwater and sediment control dam.
Peterson Pond Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2020 Hanover and Norwell
42°08′37″N 70°50′15″W / 42.1437°N 70.8376°W / 42.1437; -70.8376 (Peterson Pond Dam)
Grist mill dam.
Eel River Headwaters Restoration (7 small dams) 8 ft (2.4 m) 2009 Plymouth Eel River Plymouth Bay Cranberry farming dam.
Sawmill Pond Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2010 Plymouth
41°54′41″N 70°38′27″W / 41.9113°N 70.6408°W / 41.9113; -70.6408 (Sawmill Pond Dam)
Wapping Road Dam 6.6 ft (2.0 m) 2011 Kingston
41°59′34″N 70°44′54″W / 41.9929°N 70.7484°W / 41.9929; -70.7484 (Wapping Road Dam)
Jones River Hydropower dam.
Elm Street Dam 9 ft (2.7 m) 2019 Kingston
41°59′N 70°44′W / 41.99°N 70.73°W / 41.99; -70.73 (Elm Street Dam)
Hydraulic pumping power dam owned by the Jones River Watershed Association and the Town of Kingston. National Inventory of Dams ID MA00395.
Billington Street Dam 2002 Plymouth
41°57′03″N 70°40′23″W / 41.9508°N 70.6731°W / 41.9508; -70.6731 (Billington Street Dam)
Town Brook
Off Billington Street Dam 8.4 ft (2.6 m) 2013 Plymouth
41°56′56″N 70°40′27″W / 41.949°N 70.6741°W / 41.949; -70.6741 (Off Billington Street Dam)
Mill dam owned by the Town of Plymouth.
Plymco Dam 16 ft (4.9 m) 2015 Plymouth
41°56′47″N 70°40′26″W / 41.9465°N 70.6739°W / 41.9465; -70.6739 (Plymco Dam)
Mill dam.
Holmes Dam 19 ft (5.8 m) 2018 Plymouth
41°57′09″N 70°40′07″W / 41.9525°N 70.6687°W / 41.9525; -70.6687 (Holmes Dam)
Owned by the Town of Plymouth.
Wellingsly Dam #1 3 to 5 ft (0.91 to 1.52 m) 2012 Plymouth
41°56′56″N 70°39′12″W / 41.949°N 70.6534°W / 41.949; -70.6534 (Wellingsly Dam #1)
Wellingsly Brook
Wellingsly Dam #2 3 to 5 ft (0.91 to 1.52 m) 2012 Plymouth
41°56′56″N 70°39′12″W / 41.949°N 70.6534°W / 41.949; -70.6534 (Wellingsly Dam #2)
Wellingsly Dam #3 3 to 5 ft (0.91 to 1.52 m) 2012 Plymouth
41°56′56″N 70°39′12″W / 41.949°N 70.6534°W / 41.949; -70.6534 (Wellingsly Dam #3)
Hamant Brook Lower Pond Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2017 Sturbridge
42°05′52″N 72°05′30″W / 42.0977°N 72.0918°W / 42.0977; -72.0918 (Hamant Brook Lower Pond Dam)
Hamant Brook Quinebaug River Owned by Old Sturbridge Village.
Hamant Brook Middle Pond Dam 13 ft (4.0 m) 2017 Sturbridge
42°05′42″N 72°05′41″W / 42.095°N 72.0946°W / 42.095; -72.0946 (Hamant Brook Middle Pond Dam)
Owned by the Town of Sturbridge. National Inventory of Dams ID MA02011.
Hamant Brook Upper Pond Dam 11 ft (3.4 m) 2017 Sturbridge
42°05′34″N 72°05′44″W / 42.0928°N 72.0955°W / 42.0928; -72.0955 (Hamant Brook Upper Pond Dam)
Owned by the Town of Sturbridge.
Forge Pond Dam 2010 Freetown
41°48′10″N 71°03′08″W / 41.8028°N 71.0523°W / 41.8028; -71.0523 (Forge Pond Dam)
Assonet River Taunton River
Bleachery Dam (Rattlesnake Brook Dam) 7 ft (2.1 m) 2016 Freetown
41°46′52″N 71°05′11″W / 41.7811°N 71.0864°W / 41.7811; -71.0864 (Bleachery Dam (Rattlesnake Brook Dam))
Mill dam.
West Street Dam 12 ft (3.7 m) 2022 Foxborough
42°02′18″N 71°16′30″W / 42.0384°N 71.275°W / 42.0384; -71.275 (West Street Dam)
Cocasset River Mill dam owned by the Town of Foxborough. National Inventory of Dams ID MA02419.
Barstowe's Pond Dam 8.5 ft (2.6 m) 2018 Taunton
41°52′56″N 71°02′55″W / 41.8823°N 71.0485°W / 41.8823; -71.0485 (Barstowe's Pond Dam)
Cotley River Dam built for recreation. Owned by the Taunton Development Corporation and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. National Inventory of Dams ID MA00924.
Hopewell Mills Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2012 Taunton
41°54′53″N 71°05′49″W / 41.9147°N 71.0969°W / 41.9147; -71.0969 (Hopewell Mills Dam)
Mill River Mill dam.
Whittenton Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2013 Taunton
41°55′27″N 71°06′23″W / 41.9243°N 71.1063°W / 41.9243; -71.1063 (Whittenton Dam)
Mill dam.
West Britannia Dam 8 ft (2.4 m) 2018 Taunton
41°55′08″N 71°06′05″W / 41.919°N 71.1015°W / 41.919; -71.1015 (West Britannia Dam)
Flood control and mill dam.
Carver Cotton Gin Pond Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2017 East Bridgewater
42°01′17″N 70°57′04″W / 42.0214°N 70.951°W / 42.0214; -70.951 (Carver Cotton Gin Pond Dam)
Satucket River Mill dam.
High Street Dam 12.5 ft (3.8 m) 2023 Bridgewater
42°00′09″N 70°58′56″W / 42.0025°N 70.9822°W / 42.0025; -70.9822 (High Street Dam)
Town River The structurally deficient dam was the most downstream barrier on the Town River to fish migrating from Narragansett Bay. Its removal opened 10 miles (16 km) of river to fish passage as well as 354 acres (143 ha) of spawning habitat in Lake Nippenicket.[8]
Kinne Brook Dam (Stroud Dam) 6 ft (1.8 m) 2014 Chester
42°18′31″N 72°54′28″W / 42.3085°N 72.9078°W / 42.3085; -72.9078 (Kinne Brook Dam)
Kinne Brook Westfield River The removal was a collaboration between Trout Unlimited, the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, the National Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a private landowner. It was part of a larger project to restore 10 mi (16 km) of stream, which also involved the replacement of two culverts.[9][10]
Winchell Dam 14.5 ft (4.4 m) 2016 Granville
42°05′02″N 72°50′32″W / 42.0838°N 72.8421°W / 42.0838; -72.8421 (Winchell Dam)
Westfield River Water supply dam owned by the City of Westfield.
Silk Mill Dam 15 ft (4.6 m) 2003 Becket
42°19′42″N 73°05′01″W / 42.3283°N 73.0836°W / 42.3283; -73.0836 (Silk Mill Dam)
Yokum Brook Mill dam.
Ballou Dam 10 ft (3.0 m) 2006 Becket
42°19′55″N 73°05′00″W / 42.3319°N 73.0834°W / 42.3319; -73.0834 (Ballou Dam)
Mill dam.
Horseshoe Pond Dam 6 ft (1.8 m) 2020 Wareham
41°45′55″N 70°44′51″W / 41.7653°N 70.7476°W / 41.7653; -70.7476 (Horseshoe Pond Dam)
Weweantic River Weweantic River Mill dam. National Inventory of Dams ID MA00026.

Planned and proposed removals

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Dam Expected year Location Watercourse Watershed Notes
Talbot Mills Dam Billerica
42°35′30″N 71°17′02″W / 42.5918°N 71.2840°W / 42.5918; -71.2840 (Talbot Mills Dam)
Concord River Merrimack River [11]
Veterans Memorial Park Dam Marshfield
42°05′41″N 70°43′07″W / 42.0948°N 70.7185°W / 42.0948; -70.7185 (Veterans Memorial Park Dam)
South River Massachusetts Bay The North and South Rivers Watershed Association is working with town, state, and private stakeholders on the South River Restoration Project, which will remove barriers to fish migration on the South River.[12]
Chandler Pond Dam Marshfield
42°05′33″N 70°43′22″W / 42.0926°N 70.7229°W / 42.0926; -70.7229 (Chandler Pond Dam)
Temple Street Dam Duxbury
42°04′46″N 70°44′45″W / 42.0794°N 70.7457°W / 42.0794; -70.7457 (Temple Street Dam)

References

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  1. ^ "American Rivers Dam Removal Database". Figshare. American Rivers. 13 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Infrastructure Mobilization Effort - Unreviewed List of Projects Submitted for State Consideration". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 277. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Annual Report 2010". Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. p. 67. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  4. ^ Munroe-Hultman, Lauri (10 January 2023). "Former company town turns the page with dam removal". FWS.gov. United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Dam Removal Underway at Upper Roberts Brook (Northampton)". Mass.gov. Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  6. ^ Arthen, Inanna (September 7, 2023). "Whites Mills Property Placed on the Market, Asking Price $3.5 Million". The Winchendon Courier. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Whites Mill Pond Dam Decommissioning and River Restoration". www.gza.com. GZA GeoEnvironmental. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  8. ^ Rehkopf, Anna (18 July 2023). "High Street Dam Removal". fws.gov. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Kinne Brook Dam removed". The Westfield News. 12 October 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Kinne Brook Restoration Project". tu.org. Trout Unlimited. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Talbot Mills Dam Removal on the Concord River". FWS.gov. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  12. ^ "South River Restoration". North and South Rivers Watershed Association. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
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