National Program for Inspection of Non-Federal Dams. Pepperell Paper Co. Dam (MA 00373), Merrimack River Basin, Pepperell, Massachusetts. Phase 1, Inspection Report.

摘要

The Pepperell Paper Co. Dam is an almost 80-year old concrete, ungated spillway structure with flashboards. The spillway is about 275 feet long and 21 feet high. The abutments are more or less integral with the surrounding land and a highway which crosses a concrete bridge just down-stream from the dam. The dam is in fair condition with some spalling of repair work previously performed on the downstream surface. There is some undercutting at the downstream toe. The penstock and gate house are in fair condition. Part of the abutments would probably be the first sections to fail in the event of overtopping. Routing of the flood through the reservoir will reduce the maximum probable discharge of 196,000 cfs to a test flood of 172,000 cfs. The spillway can pass only 13,000 cfs (7.5 percent of the test flood). In the event of the occurrence of the test flood, the abutments would be overtopped by some 13 feet. In this situation, the dam would become submerged and of no consequence.