Wawayanda Lake Dam

Wawayanda Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Sussex County, New Jersey. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Wawayanda Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Wawayanda Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Division Of Parks And Forestry (state). It impounds the Wawayanda Creek-tr.

The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 255 acres, has a storage capacity of 1,650 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles.

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 09/09/2024.

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 New Jersey 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.

High HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateNew Jersey
CountySussex
River/StreamWawayanda Creek-tr
Coordinates41.18247, -74.42663

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height14 ft
Dam Height14 ft
Dam Length250 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,650 acre-ft
Normal Storage1,650 acre-ft
Surface Area255 acres
Drainage Area6 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerDivision of Parks and Forestry
Owner TypeState
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection09/09/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDNJ00286
Federal IDNJ00286
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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