Pikes Creek
Pikes Creek is an earth dam located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, built in 1911. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Pikes Creek
The primary purpose of Pikes Creek 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 Pa American Water Company (private). It impounds the Pikes Creek.
The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 2,360 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 400 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,556 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1911, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/20/2020.
At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 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 | Pikes Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.26583, -76.04500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Height | 65 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,360 ft |
| Year Completed | 1911 (115 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,556 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 10,556 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 8,823 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 400 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | PA AMERICAN WATER COMPANY |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/20/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00576 |
| Federal ID | PA00576 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |