There is plenty of hiking on the Claude Hill and East Branch Trail, each running alongside the flood plain and the East Branch of the Westfield River.  Dam Construction  began in August 1939 and was completed in December 1941 at a cost of $3.3 million including Route 112 being relocated.  It’s an earthfill dam with stone slope protection measuring 1,200-feet long and 160-feet high.  The flood storage area of the project covers 960 acres and extends about six miles upstream through Huntington and Chesterfield. The project and all associated lands cover 2,688 acres. Knightville Dam can store up to 15.97 billion gallons of water for flood control purposes.

The Reservoir Control Center is the watchdog for New England flood risk management using radio and satellite communications, the team constantly monitors river levels and weather conditions and regulate the amount of water released downstream by raising or lowering the three gates located in the gatehouse at the dam.

In April 1987, heavy rains fell on a deep snowpack causing rapid melting and run-off. Knightville Dam held back a record amount of flood waters. For only the second time in its history, water flowed over its spillway scouring a channel down to bedrock. Knightville slowed down the flow of water reducing serious flooding problems in communities downstream along the Westfield and Connecticut Rivers. This project has prevented $335.9 million in flood damages since it was built.

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