Lake Musconetcong Dam

About Lake Musconetcong Dam

The primary purpose of Lake Musconetcong Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Njdot (state). It impounds the Musconetcong River.

The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 237 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 307 acres, has a storage capacity of 220 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 30 square miles. Completed in 1933, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/29/2024.

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.

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