Lower Woods Pond

About Lower Woods Pond

The primary purpose of Lower Woods Pond is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Pa Fish & Boat Commission (state). It impounds the East Branch Dyberry Creek.

The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 91 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,470 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1848, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 04/02/2021.

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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