Ball Mountain Lake is located in Jamaica, Vermont, on the West River, a tributary to the Connecticut River, and is part of a network of flood damage reduction projects in the Upper Connecticut River Basin.
Construction of the dam began in May 1957 and was completed in October 1961 at a cost of $11 million. The project features an earthfill dam with stone slope protection 915-feet long and 265-feet high; a gated, 864-foot-long circular concrete conduit with a diameter of 13.5 feet; and a chute spillway cut in rock with a 235-foot-long concrete weir. The weir’s crest elevation is 35 feet lower than the top of the dam.
Construction of the recreational facilities at the reservoir began in June 1975 and were completed in June 1977. Winhall Brook Camping Area being one of the main recreational attractions at Ball Mountain Lake offers 111 campsites comprised of 14 Lean-to shelters and 23 water and electric sites and tent sites.
The reservoir provides flood protection to the downstream communities in the West River Valley, including Jamaica, Townshend (particularly the West Townshend and Harmonyville sections), and Dummerston. In conjunction with other reservoirs in the Connecticut River Basin, Ball Mountain Lake also reduces flood stages on the Connecticut River.
Ball Mountain Lake has a permanent pool of 75 acres with a stage of 65 feet. The flood storage area of the project totals 810 acres and extends 6.5 miles upstream through Londonderry. The project and associated lands cover 1,227 acres. Ball Mountain Lake can store up to 17.8 billion gallons of water for flood control purposes. This is equivalent to 5.9 inches of water covering its drainage area of 172 square miles.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is updating the Ball Mountain Lake Master Plan. The Master Plan is the strategic land use management document that guides the comprehensive management and development of all project resources throughout the life of a USACE project. The Master Plan guides efficient and cost-effective management, development, and use of project lands. It is a vital tool for the responsible stewardship and sustainability of project resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Master Plan guides and articulates USACE responsibilities, pursuant to federal laws to preserve, conserve, restore, maintain, manage, and develop project lands and waters and associated resources. The intent of an updated Master Plan is to present a current inventory and assessment of resources, provide an analysis of resource use, and evaluate existing and future needs required to protect and improve the value of resources at a project.
The current Ball Mountain Lake Master Plan, last approved in 1977, needs revision to address changes in regional land use, population, outdoor recreation trends, and the USACE management policy. Key topics to be discussed in the revised Master Plan include revised land use classifications, new natural and recreational resource management objectives, recreation facility needs, and special issues such as invasive species management and threatened and endangered species habitat. The Master Plan revision WILL NOT address the technical and operational aspects of the lake related to flood risk management or the water conservation missions of the project. During the process, the team will collect data, conduct analysis, prepare a draft report (which will become available for public and agency comments), and ultimately finalize and adopt the new Master Plan.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will host an open house on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, from 4 - 6 p.m. at Jamaica Town Hall to share details on a draft revision process of the Ball Mountain Dam Master Plan and showcase the existing land use classification maps, which are from 1998. A 30-day public comment period began on April 15, 2025, and will end on May 15, 2025.