Philmont Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Columbia County, New York, built in 1916. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 240 ft long, taller than 80% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Philmont Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Philmont Reservoir Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Brandon Wang (private). It impounds the Tr-agawamuck Creek near Philmont.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 240 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 38 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 600 acre-feet. Completed in 1916, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/17/2025.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | New York |
| County | Columbia |
| Nearest City | Philmont |
| River/Stream | Tr-agawamuck Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.24194, -73.61000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 240 ft |
| Year Completed | 1916 (110 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 515 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
| Max Discharge | 500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Brandon Wang |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/17/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY00836 |
| Federal ID | NY00836 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |