Orchard Park Meadows Retention Bas

About Orchard Park Meadows Retention Bas

The primary purpose of Orchard Park Meadows Retention Bas is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Fifty-five Fifty, Inc. (private). It impounds the Tr West Branch Deer Creek.

The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 140 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 13 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1989, the structure is 37 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 03/05/2021.

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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