University Park Airport Pond 1a

About University Park Airport Pond 1a

The primary purpose of University Park Airport Pond 1a is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Pennsylvania State University (private). It impounds the Tr Big Hollow Creek.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 24 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1995, the structure is 31 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 12/03/2020.

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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