The Conant Brook Dam is located on Conant Brook in
Monson, Massachusetts
Monson is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,150 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The census-designated place of Monson Center lies at the ...
, about upstream from the confluence of Conant Brook and the
Quaboag River
The Quaboag River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. ...
. It is approximately east of
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ...
.
Designed and constructed by the
, this dam substantially reduces flooding along the Quaboag,
Chicopee, and
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
rivers. Construction of the project began in 1964 with completion in 1966 at a cost of US$2,950,530.
The Conant Brook Dam is located within the Chicopee River watershed and is part of the Connecticut River basin. Access to the site is available from
State Route 32 and
State Route 19.
Description
The project consists of a rolled earth and rock fill dam with stone slope protection long and high. There is one dike in length with a maximum height of . Cut in rock, the spillway comprises a concrete weir in width. The weir's crest elevation is 14 feet (7.0 m) lower than the top of the dam. There is no permanent lake behind the dam. The flood storage area for the project, which is normally empty, stores floodwaters and covers in the town of Monson, Massachusetts. The entire project, including all associated lands, covers . The Conant Brook Dam can store up to of water for flood control purposes. This is equivalent to of water runoff covering its drainage area of .
The current Conant Brook Dam was in October 2005, when the reservoir reached deep at the inlet channel.
Land use and recreation
The Army Corps of Engineers manages and preserves the land for flood control and passive recreation. There are of hiking/mountain biking/horseback riding trails that are located on the project lands. In addition, of service roads (closed to motor vehicles) cross the reservoir area and are open to non-motorized use. The main entrance and parking area are located on Wales Road in Monson, approx. east of State Route 32. An information kiosk is located here. Limited trailhead parking is also available at the gated ends of East Hill Road and Waterworks Road, and at the north end of the project off Munn Road, near the east end of the dike.
Camping is not permitted.
References
Conant Brook Dam website Army Corps of Engineers
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Dams in Massachusetts
Buildings and structures in Hampden County, Massachusetts
United States Army Corps of Engineers dams
Dams completed in 1966