Upper Silver Lake
Upper Silver Lake is an earth dam located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, built in 1919. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Upper Silver Lake
The primary purpose of Upper Silver Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Makefield Lakes Community Association (private). It impounds the Van Horn Creek.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 51 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1919, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 06/18/2018.
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Location
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Bucks |
| River/Stream | Van Horn Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.23167, -74.83333 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1919 (107 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 38 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | MAKEFIELD LAKES COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/18/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00791 |
| Federal ID | PA00791 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |