Pickering Creek
Pickering Creek is a concrete dam located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, built in 1928. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Pickering Creek
The primary purpose of Pickering Creek is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. (private). It impounds the Pickering Creek.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 105 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,713 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 38 square miles. Completed in 1928, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/18/2020.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | Chester |
| River/Stream | Pickering Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.12000, -75.49306 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1928 (98 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,713 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,713 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,143 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 105 acres |
| Drainage Area | 38 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | AQUA PENNSYLVANIA, INC. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/18/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00622 |
| Federal ID | PA00622 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |