Boyd Keller Reservoir

About Boyd Keller Reservoir

The primary purpose of Boyd Keller Reservoir 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 City Of Lock Haven (local government). It impounds the Mcelhattan Creek.

The dam stands 53 feet tall and stretches 590 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 19 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 546 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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 11/08/2020.

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.

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