The Milone & MacBroom Report on the impoundment, silt conditions and conditions of the dam is available PDF 2.4 mb (Posted 6/16/10)

Six-month follow up Phase 1 inspection report on the Upper Bondsville Dam PDF 4.2 mb (Posted 2/10/08)

First Phase 1 inspection Report PDF 5.73 mb

Listen to the interview with BLT President Jim Fox on WFCR by clicking on the logo (12/07/09)

Response from DCR regarding request for extension on the dam safety order (11/30/09) PDF 315kb

Letter from BLT to DCR requesting an extension on the Dam Safety Order (11/19/09) PDF 94kb

Letter of support for extension on dam deadline from area legislators (11/6/09)
A letter co-signed by the state legislators has been sent to the Office of Dam Safety. PDF 126kb

PVPC Grant Application
This is a copy of the grant application made by PVPC to the MET for the study of the Upper Bondsville Dam. PDF 125kb

BLT Letter supporting PVPC Grant Application
A copy of a letter from BLT that accompanied the PVPC grant application. 26kb

Copy of the DCR Dam Safety Order
This is the notice received from the Division of Dam Safety to take corrective action on the dam.
PDF .6 MB

Copy of the Tighe & Bond Bondsville Upper Dam Phase I Inspection/Evaluation Report

This is the report prepared by Tighe & Bond that evaluates the condition of the Bondsville Upper Dam. PDF 5.3 MB

Copy of the PowerPoint presentation prepared by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission for the October 1, 2009 meeting.
This is the complete presentation. Due to time constraints, not all of this program was able to be shown at the public meeting.
PDF 5.4 MB

Grant awarded to review the Upper Bondsville Dam in Belchertown

Study will be conducted to determine possible course of action

BELCHERTOWN, MA – June 9, 2009  The Massachusetts Environmental Trust recently awarded a $25,000 grant to conduct a study of the Upper Bondsville Dam that is owned by the Belchertown Land Trust.  Working with the BLT, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission received the grant to review a course of action for the dam which is on the Swift River between Belchertown and Palmer, downstream of the Winsor Dam in the Quabbin Reservoir.  The Upper Bondsville Dam, built in 1900, was used to supply power to one of the many industrial sites that once existed in the area.

“We appreciate the opportunity to study what actions could be taken,” said Jim Fox, president of the Belchertown Land Trust.  “This is a very complex issue and gathering information is the very first step towards coming up with a solution that works best for the community.”  This project will entail a series of meetings to gather input from the public as well as collecting information regarding the impact of the dam upon the environment, the river and the community.

At the recent Belchertown Town Meeting, the citizens voted to award a $5,000 Community Preservation Act grant to the BLT to conduct an engineering study of the dam.  “According to the state, there are over 3,000 dams in Massachusetts and communities everywhere, just like Belchertown, are confronted with the issue of what actions are needed,” added Fox.  “We appreciate the PVPC stepping forward in applying for this grant and we look forward to working closely with them.  We realize that the dam has been a part of the river system for many years and we are committed to developing a viable plan.”

PVPC Environmental Planner Patty Gambarini said, “Thanks to the Massachusetts Environmental Trust grant, we will be able to talk with many people about their concerns and desires related to the dam, and then begin an analysis that helps both to answer key questions raised through these conversations and to define possible alternatives for the future.  This work is a collective journey that will help all of us to better understand the issues related to the dam.”