Cuba Lake Dam

About Cuba Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Cuba Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cuba Lake District;new York State Office Of General Services (private). It impounds the Oil Creek near Cuba.

The dam stands 55 feet tall and stretches 1,750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 465 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 16,498 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 25 square miles. Completed in 1872, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 08/01/2024.

At 55 feet, this dam is taller than 94% 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.

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