State to Begin Work on Foss Dam

In early September, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority will begin a project to upgrade the Foss Reservoir Dam on the westbound side of Route 9 in Framingham.

There will limited impact on Route 9 traffic, according the MWRA. One lane of the road will be redirected with jersey barriers to make the Route 9 entrance safe for the contractor. There will be a police detail at the site during work hours.

To get ready for this work, the water level in the Foss Reservoir will be lowered about 10 feet and some trees along the embankment will be removed.

The actual work includes constructing a parapet wall on the earthen dam to prevent waves from eroding the structure, and installing a fusegate -- a concrete crest structure on the top of the spillway -- that will increase the spillway capacity at the reservoir in the event of a catastrophic storm event

The work will be performed in phases and is expected to be completed by fall 2012.

The 130-year old Foss Dam is one of six dams within the MWRA water system being retrofitted to meet new dam safety requirements. Although the dam is not in any danger of imminent failure, the State issued new regulations in 2006 to ensure that dams classified as “High Hazard” could withstand most any catastrophic event. The classification High Hazard does not refer to condition, but proximity to residents.

The Foss Reservoir is part of the MWRA’s standby water system that would be used as a back-up supply in the event of an emergency.