Emerald Lake is an earth dam located in Washington County, Pennsylvania, built in 1912. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 38 ft38 ft tall and 130 ft long, taller than 84% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Emerald Lake
The primary purpose of Emerald Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Emerald Lake Homeowners Association, Inc (private). It impounds the St Patricks Run.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 130 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 390 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1912, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. 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 12/12/2018.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Washington |
| River/Stream | St Patricks Run |
| Coordinates | 40.42250, -80.33611 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Length | 130 ft |
| Year Completed | 1912 (114 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 390 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 390 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 276 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Emerald Lake Homeowners Association, Inc |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/12/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00499 |
| Federal ID | PA00499 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |