Lake Wyola is a
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
located in
Shutesbury
Shutesbury is a New England town, town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,717 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfie ...
,
, United States.
Dam
Construction was completed on a dam in 1883 that increased the size of the lake from to , doubling the size of the lake. The dam was originally installed to help provide
hydropower
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, converting the Pot ...
on the
Sawmill River
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
, then the site of numerous
mills
Mills is the plural form of mill, but may also refer to:
As a name
*Mills (surname), a common family name of English or Gaelic origin
* Mills (given name)
*Mills, a fictional British secret agent in a trilogy by writer Manning O'Brine
Places Unit ...
. Lake Wyola Dam is of earthen construction. The dam is a , masonry
embankment dam
An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and ...
with a concrete
spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure tha ...
. Its capacity is . Normal storage is . It drains an area of .
In 1998 the dam was classified as a high-hazard dam by state officials. They said that there was a potential for a large loss of property and life downstream, in the towns of
Leverett and
Montague,
if the dam should fail. In 2005 during heavy storms, there was great concern for its stability as the area directly below the dam flooded severely.
In July 2008, despite the evident and urgent need for repair or replacement the Massachusetts governor denied funding for the dam's repair. Many local residents, particularly in Leverett and Montague, were frustrated with the governor's decision. However, with so many dams in Massachusetts in need of repair, others question if the state should be spending millions to rehabilitate old dams.
Despite the gubernatorial veto, funding was eventually obtained and construction began at the dam in the fall of 2008. The repairs were completed in May 2009.
See also
*
Lake Wyola State Park
Lake Wyola State Park, also known as the Carroll A. Holmes Recreation Area, is located in the town of Shutesbury, Massachusetts. It is a state-run recreation area located on the shores of Lake Wyola.
History
In 1997, the Department of Environ ...
References
External links
DCR Lake Wyola ParkLake Wyola AssociationLake Wyola Road Race
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wyola
Lakes of Franklin County, Massachusetts
Reservoirs in Massachusetts