Spooky Brook Dam

Spooky Brook Dam is an earth dam located in Somerset County, New Jersey, built in 1971. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Spooky Brook Dam

The primary purpose of Spooky Brook Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by County Of Somerset (local government). It impounds the Delaware - Raritan Canal-.

The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 126 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 35 square miles. Completed in 1971, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/28/2023.

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Significant HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateNew Jersey
CountySomerset
River/StreamDelaware - Raritan Canal-
Coordinates40.50915, -74.56552

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height21 ft
Dam Height21 ft
Dam Length300 ft
Year Completed1971 (55 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage126 acre-ft
Max Storage126 acre-ft
Normal Storage72 acre-ft
Surface Area20 acres
Drainage Area35 sq mi
Max Discharge1,003 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerCounty of Somerset
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection11/28/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDNJ00374
Federal IDNJ00374
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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