Eaton Brook Reservoir Dam
Eaton Brook Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, New York, built in 1893. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Eaton Brook Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Eaton Brook Reservoir Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by New York State Canal Corporation (state). It impounds the Eaton Brook near West Eaton.
The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 820 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 275 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,886 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7 square miles. Completed in 1893, 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 06/03/2024.
At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.
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 York 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 York |
| County | Madison |
| Nearest City | West Eaton |
| River/Stream | Eaton Brook |
| Coordinates | 42.86444, -75.68694 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Length | 820 ft |
| Year Completed | 1893 (133 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,886 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,886 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5,714 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 275 acres |
| Drainage Area | 7 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,060 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | New York State Canal Corporation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/03/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00352 |
| Federal ID | NY00352 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |