Erieville Reservoir Dam
Erieville Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, New York, built in 1850. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Erieville Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Erieville 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 Chittenango Creek near Erieville.
The dam stands 55 feet tall and stretches 2,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 362 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,362 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1850, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/03/2024.
At 55 feet, this dam is taller than 94% 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 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 | Erieville |
| River/Stream | Chittenango Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.86583, -75.76111 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1850 (176 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,362 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 10,362 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6,609 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 362 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,372 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | New York State Canal Corporation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/03/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00369 |
| Federal ID | NY00369 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |