Putnam Lake Dam

About Putnam Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Putnam Lake Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Town Of Patterson (local government). It impounds the Bog Brook near Village Of Putnam Lake.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 295 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 232 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,510 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1931, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 03/07/2024.

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 York dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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