Upper Castanea Reservoir

About Upper Castanea Reservoir

The primary purpose of Upper Castanea Reservoir is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Lock Haven (local government). It impounds the Harveys Run.

The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 274 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 51 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1869, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/23/2020.

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 Pennsylvania dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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