Lake Tamarack Dam dam
Lake Tamarack Dam
Lake Tamarack Dam, located in Sussex, New Jersey, was completed in 1940 and serves as a vital recreation resource for the area. The dam stands at a height of 10 feet and has a length of 300 feet, creating a reservoir with a normal storage capacity of 198 acre-feet. With a surface area of 34 acres and a drainage area of 0.8 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in providing water storage and recreational opportunities for the community.
Managed by a private owner, Lake Tamarack Dam is regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The dam has a high hazard potential but has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the most recent inspection conducted in December 2021. Despite its age, the dam continues to be a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and remains an important asset for water resource management in the region.
The dam's location in Hardyston Township, along the Franklin Pond Creek-TR, offers both scenic beauty and functional benefits for the surrounding area. As a key element in the local water infrastructure, Lake Tamarack Dam exemplifies the importance of maintaining and regulating water resources to meet both recreational and safety needs. With its rich history and ongoing commitment to safety and maintenance, the dam stands as a testament to the intersection of water resource management and community enjoyment.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Lake Tamarack Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Eb Paulins Kill Near Lafayette Nj | 19 cfs | → |
| Pequannock R At Macopin Intake Dam Nj | 96 cfs | → |
| Green Pond Brook At Picatinny Arsenal Nj | 10 cfs | → |
| Green Pd Bk Bl Picatinny Lk At Picatinny Ars Nj | 8 cfs | → |
| Wanaque River At Awosting Nj | 43 cfs | → |
| West Brook Near Wanaque Nj | 51 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Tamarack Dam.
Boat launches
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Winding Waters Trail Town Of Warwick
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- Blue Lake Road Town Of Warwick
- Jefferson Lake Road Sussex County
Track Lake Tamarack Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Lake Tamarack Dam
Where does the data for Lake Tamarack Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lake Tamarack Dam.