Pelto Dam
Pelto Dam is an earth dam located in Tioga County, New York, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Pelto Dam
The primary purpose of Pelto Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Tioga County Soil & Water Conservation District (local government). It impounds the Burheight Creek near Spencer.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1955, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 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 02/14/2024.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 86% 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 | Tioga |
| Nearest City | Spencer |
| River/Stream | Burheight Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.22444, -76.52694 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,030 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | TIOGA COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/14/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00680 |
| Federal ID | NY00680 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |