East Syracuse Reservoir Dam
East Syracuse Reservoir Dam is a concrete dam located in Onondaga County, New York, built in 1922. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About East Syracuse Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of East Syracuse Reservoir Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Scott Gerharz (private). It impounds the Hollow Creek near Jamesville.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 540 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 480 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1922, 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 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 | Onondaga |
| Nearest City | Jamesville |
| River/Stream | Hollow Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.98444, -76.10750 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 540 ft |
| Year Completed | 1922 (104 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 480 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 480 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 280 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,300 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Scott Gerharz |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/03/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00417 |
| Federal ID | NY00417 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |