Lake Denmark
Lake Denmark is an earth dam located in Morris County, New Jersey, built in 1904. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Denmark
The primary purpose of Lake Denmark 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 Picatinny Arsenal (federal). It impounds the Burnt Meadow Brook near Dover.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 360 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 299 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,203 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1904, the structure is over a century old.
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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/24/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 New Jersey 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 | New Jersey |
| County | Morris |
| Nearest City | Dover |
| River/Stream | Burnt Meadow Brook |
| Coordinates | 40.96500, -74.52860 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 360 ft |
| Year Completed | 1904 (122 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,203 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,203 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,257 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 299 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 402 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Picatinny Arsenal |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 07/24/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NJ00001 |
| Federal ID | NJ00001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |