Sweet Arrow Lake
Sweet Arrow Lake is an earth dam located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, built in 1923. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Sweet Arrow Lake
The primary purpose of Sweet Arrow Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Schuylkill County Board Of Commissioners (local government). It impounds the Upper Little Swatara Creek.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 480 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 92 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,110 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 20 square miles. Completed in 1923, 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 12/13/2020.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | Schuylkill |
| River/Stream | Upper Little Swatara Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.56972, -76.36694 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 480 ft |
| Year Completed | 1923 (103 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,110 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,110 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,105 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 92 acres |
| Drainage Area | 20 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | SCHUYLKILL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/13/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00680 |
| Federal ID | PA00680 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |