Lake Strause is an earth dam located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, built in 1921. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 14 ft14 ft tall and 475 ft long. 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 Lake Strause
The primary purpose of Lake Strause is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Strause, Inc. (private). It impounds the Monroe Creek.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 475 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 76 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1921, 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 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 03/29/2021.
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Location
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Lebanon |
| River/Stream | Monroe Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.48250, -76.45722 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 475 ft |
| Year Completed | 1921 (105 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 76 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 76 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lake Strause, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA01010 |
| Federal ID | PA01010 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |