Hodges Village Dam, a
flood control project on the
French River (Massachusetts)
The French River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut, USA.
The river rises near Leicester, Massachusetts, and flows generally southwards through Auburn, Oxford, and along the town line between Webster and Du ...
in
Oxford, Massachusetts
Oxford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,347 as of the 2020 United States Census.
History
Oxford was first settled in 1687 and was officially incorporated in 1713. It was the birthplace of Clara ...
was built in 1959 as a response to the 1936 floods which took lives and caused tremendous property damage in the
Thames River
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
basin of
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 ...
. The western side of the French River is open to hunting, fishing, hiking, and boating. There are more than 18.2 miles of hiking trails on the property, as well as motorized bike trails on the west side of the river. ATV's and quads are restricted from the area. However, motorized bikes are allowed only on the west side of the river. There is a frisbee golf course that runs alongside the dam.
The 90 mile
Midstate Trail passes through the project. Hodges Village Dam is managed as a unit with the nearby
Buffumville Lake
Buffumville Lake is a , capacity United States Army Corps of Engineers flood control lake project located in Charlton, Massachusetts. The lake and surrounding grounds are open to the public for hiking, boating, fishing, and hunting. A 27-hole fris ...
.
ReferencesU.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Cited Dec. 6, 2007.
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Dams in Massachusetts
Buildings and structures in Worcester County, Massachusetts
United States Army Corps of Engineers dams
Dams completed in 1959