Melody Lake Dam

About Melody Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Melody Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Melody Lake Association (private). It impounds the Tr-willet Creek near Willet.

The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 120 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 43 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 620 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1902, 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 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 07/18/2024.

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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