Lake Paupackan

About Lake Paupackan

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

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 390 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 239 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,188 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1914, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/24/2020.

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.

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