Saville Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saville Dam |
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Barkhamsted Reservoir, Saville Dam
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 Location of Saville Dam in Connecticut
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| Location | Barkhamsted, Connecticut |
| Coordinates | 41°54′36″N 72°57′17″W / 41.91000°N 72.95472°W |
| Opening date | 1948 |
| Operator(s) | Metropolitan District Commission |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Farmington River (Eastern branch) |
| Height | 135 feet (41 m) |
| Length | 1,950 feet (590 m) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Barkhamsted Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 36.8 billion US gallons (139,000,000 m3) |
| Catchment area | 53.8 square miles (139 km2) |
| Surface area | 4.2 square miles (11 km2) |
The Saville Dam is a large dam in Barkhamsted, Connecticut. It is built on the eastern part of the Farmington River. This dam is made mostly of earth, but it also has some masonry (stone or brick work).
The Saville Dam is 135 feet (41 meters) tall. It stretches 1,950 feet (590 meters) long. On its western side, there is a special section called a spillway. This spillway helps water flow over the dam safely when the reservoir is very full.
The dam creates a huge body of water called the Barkhamsted Reservoir. This reservoir holds about 36.8 billion US gallons of water. It is the main source of drinking water for the city of Hartford, Connecticut.
Contents
Building the Saville Dam
The idea for the Saville Dam started a long time ago. In 1927, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) began buying land. This land would become the area where the dam and the reservoir are now.
Work on the dam started in 1936. At the same time, people were clearing the land to the north. They removed trees and buildings to make way for the new reservoir.
Naming the Dam
Before it was called the Saville Dam, people knew it by another name. They called it the "Bill's Brook Dam." This was because a small stream named Bill's Brook ran nearby.
In 1940, the Metropolitan District Commission officially named the dam. They chose to honor their chief engineer, Caleb Mills Saville. He was a very important person in the project.
Construction Milestones
The first parts of the dam were finished in August 1934. This included the base of the "Bill's Brook Dam." They also built a special tunnel. This tunnel was for changing the direction of the East Branch of the Farmington River.
After the tunnel was ready, the river's East Branch was moved. It flowed into a concrete pipe at the bottom of the dam site. The main construction of the dam was completed in May 1940. The total cost for building both the dam and the reservoir was about $10 million.
The Barkhamsted Reservoir
Even though the Saville Dam was finished in 1940, it took some time for the reservoir to fill up. The Barkhamsted Reservoir finally reached its full size in 1948.
The reservoir holds back the Farmington River East Branch for almost 8 miles (13 kilometers). The northern end of the reservoir reaches into Hartland, Connecticut. This is just south of the border with Massachusetts.
Villages Under Water
Building the reservoir meant that many places were flooded. Several buildings and farms in Barkhamsted were covered by water. This included a whole village called Barkhamsted Hollow.
Another village, Barkhamsted Center, was also partly flooded. Some of its remaining buildings are still standing. They are now part of the Barkhamsted Center Historic District. This area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
