Pocantico Lake Dam
Pocantico Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Westchester County, New York, built in 1916. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Pocantico Lake Dam
Pocantico Lake Dam is a dam in Westchester, New York. The dam is owned by Westchester County Dept Of Parks & Recreation (local government). It impounds the Pocantico River near North Tarrytown.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 67 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,595 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1916, 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 01/02/2025.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 New York 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 | New York |
| County | Westchester |
| Nearest City | North Tarrytown |
| River/Stream | Pocantico River |
| Coordinates | 41.11444, -73.83833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1916 (110 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,595 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,595 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 920 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 67 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | WESTCHESTER COUNTY DEPT OF PARKS & RECREATION |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/02/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00049 |
| Federal ID | NY00049 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |