HOPKINTON – A long-awaited, $2.9 million project to repair the Wyoming Upper Reservoir Dam in Hopkinton started last week.
The state-owned, nearly 300-year-old dam impounds the Wood River and forms a 35-acre reservoir in the towns of Hopkinton and Richmond.
Construction began on June 30 with temporary fencing to close the parking lot and limit access to the boat launch. Funding comes from the state’s 2018 Green Economy Bond.
There will be limited access to the launch and no fishing access throughout the project.
Paddlers may consider alternate access points to the Wood River.
The Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association plans to post information on its website.
According to the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, the dam is a high-hazard structure in poor condition. It was rated as “unsafe” in the most recent dam safety report compiled by the state.
Improvements will include a new low-level outlet and sluiceway gates, repairs to the embankment walls and spillway, and the removal of vegetation whose roots pose a threat to the dam’s structural integrity.
Work is expected to continue through 2022, and the site will then be reopened for fishing, boating and paddling activities.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at MacDonald@PBN.com.
