Silver Lake
Silver Lake is an earth dam located in Hancock County, Maine, built in 1930. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Silver Lake
The primary purpose of Silver Lake is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bucksport Generation, Llc (private). It impounds the Tannery near Bucksport.
The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 465 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 710 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 12,700 acre-feet. Completed in 1930, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/12/2021.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Maine dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Maine |
| County | Hancock |
| Nearest City | Bucksport |
| River/Stream | Tannery |
| Coordinates | 44.58750, -68.79000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Length | 465 ft |
| Year Completed | 1930 (96 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 12,700 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 12,700 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7,700 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 710 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Bucksport Generation, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/12/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ME00147 |
| Federal ID | ME00147 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |