Ravine Lake Dam

About Ravine Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Ravine Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Somerset Lake & Game Club (private). It impounds the North Branch Raritan River.

The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 315 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 38 acres, has a storage capacity of 320 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 26 square miles. Completed in 1899, 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 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 03/26/2025.

At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.

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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