Powder Mill Pond Dam

About Powder Mill Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Powder Mill Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by New Jersey Transit (state). It impounds the Whippany River-tr.

The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 660 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a storage capacity of 96 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.

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 03/30/2023.

At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.