Crystal Lake Dam is a concrete dam located in Orange County, New York, built in 1937. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 20 ft20 ft tall and 50 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 Crystal Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Crystal Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Sea Ventures, LLC (private). It impounds the Tr-hudson River near Fort Montgomery.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 50 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years 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 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 03/18/2024.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | New York |
| County | Orange |
| Nearest City | Fort Montgomery |
| River/Stream | Tr-hudson River |
| Coordinates | 41.35361, -73.97083 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 50 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 40 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Sea Ventures, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/18/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NY13544 |
| Federal ID | NY13544 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |