Sandy Run
Sandy Run is an earth dam located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Sandy Run
The primary purpose of Sandy Run is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dcnr (state). It impounds the Sandy Run.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 920 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 120 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 06/04/2020.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 | Cambria |
| River/Stream | Sandy Run |
| Coordinates | 40.65722, -78.47194 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 920 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 120 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 120 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 58 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | DCNR |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/04/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00501 |
| Federal ID | PA00501 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |