Lake Heritage
Lake Heritage is an earth dam located in Adams County, Pennsylvania, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Heritage
The primary purpose of Lake Heritage is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Heritage P.o.a. (private). It impounds the Plum Run.
The dam stands 53 feet tall and stretches 1,420 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 146 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,966 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1966, 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. 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 03/16/2021.
At 53 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
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 | Adams |
| River/Stream | Plum Run |
| Coordinates | 39.80056, -77.19250 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,420 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,966 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,966 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,578 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 146 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | LAKE HERITAGE P.O.A. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/16/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00334 |
| Federal ID | PA00334 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |