Freemans Dam is a concrete dam located in Erie County, New York, built in 1912. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 300 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Freemans Dam
The primary purpose of Freemans Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Charles R. & Eileen L. Clough;eddie M Bratko;kathleen M Woolatt;thomas A. & Dorothy Morrow;village of Orchard Park (private). It impounds the Smoke Creek near Orchard Park.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 35 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1912, 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 11/02/2022.
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Location
| State | New York |
| County | Erie |
| Nearest City | Orchard Park |
| River/Stream | Smoke Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.76833, -78.73278 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1912 (114 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Charles R. & Eileen L. Clough;eddie M Bratko;kathleen M Woolatt;thomas A. & Dorothy Morrow;village of Orchard Park |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/02/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY10266 |
| Federal ID | NY10266 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |