Lake Pahagaco
Lake Pahagaco is an earth dam located in York County, Pennsylvania, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Pahagaco
The primary purpose of Lake Pahagaco is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by P.h. Glatfelter Company (private). It impounds the First Fork Of Bunch Creek.
The dam stands 85 feet tall and stretches 1,127 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 137 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,908 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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 12/30/2020.
At 85 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 | York |
| River/Stream | First Fork Of Bunch Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.88444, -76.88917 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,127 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,908 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,908 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,380 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 137 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | P.H. GLATFELTER COMPANY |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 12/30/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00874 |
| Federal ID | PA00874 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |