Frances Slocum
Frances Slocum is an earth dam located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Frances Slocum
The primary purpose of Frances Slocum is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dcnr (state). It impounds the Abrahams Creek.
The dam stands 51 feet tall and stretches 935 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 164 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,340 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 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 08/25/2020.
At 51 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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 Pennsylvania 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 | Pennsylvania |
| County | Luzerne |
| River/Stream | Abrahams Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.33222, -75.88528 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 51 ft |
| Dam Height | 51 ft |
| Dam Length | 935 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,340 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,340 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,550 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 164 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | DCNR |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/25/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00574 |
| Federal ID | PA00574 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |