Curwensville Dam
Curwensville Dam is a rockfill dam located in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Curwensville Dam
The primary purpose of Curwensville 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 Usace - Baltimore District (federal). It impounds the West Branch Susquehanna River near Curwensville.
The dam stands 131 feet tall and stretches 2,850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 790 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 209,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 365 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/07/2022.
At 131 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 Pennsylvania 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 | Pennsylvania |
| County | Clearfield |
| Nearest City | Curwensville |
| River/Stream | West Branch Susquehanna River |
| Coordinates | 40.95411, -78.52628 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 131 ft |
| Dam Height | 131 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,850 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 209,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 209,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 790 acres |
| Drainage Area | 365 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 164,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - Baltimore District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 06/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00003 |
| Federal ID | PA00003 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |