Camp Ryker Lake Dam dam
Camp Ryker Lake Dam
Camp Ryker Lake Dam in Sussex, New Jersey, is a state-regulated earth dam located on the West Branch Rockaway River in Sparta Township. With a height of 10 feet and a length of 220 feet, the dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, providing a storage capacity of 281 acre-feet and covering a surface area of 36 acres. Despite its significant hazard potential and poor condition assessment as of August 2020, the dam is inspected every two years to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Owned by the state and falling under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Camp Ryker Lake Dam poses a potential risk to the surrounding area in the event of a breach or failure. As a popular recreational spot, the dam requires close monitoring and maintenance to prevent any potential disasters. With Mikie Sherrill representing Congressional District 11, efforts are continuously being made to assess and improve the dam's condition to meet safety standards and protect the local community and environment.
While the dam has not undergone any modifications since its completion, its emergency action plan (EAP) status and risk assessment measures remain unclear. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is crucial to stay informed about the state of dams like Camp Ryker Lake Dam to advocate for proper maintenance, risk management, and emergency preparedness to ensure the safety and sustainability of our water resources in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Camp Ryker Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Green Pond Brook At Picatinny Arsenal Nj | 2 cfs | → |
| Green Pd Bk Bl Picatinny Lk At Picatinny Ars Nj | 3 cfs | → |
| Eb Paulins Kill Near Lafayette Nj | 10 cfs | → |
| Pequannock R At Macopin Intake Dam Nj | 6 cfs | → |
| Musconetcong River At Outlet Of Lake Hopatcong Nj | 17 cfs | → |
| West Brook Near Wanaque Nj | 6 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Camp Ryker Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Jefferson Lake Road Sussex County
- Dell Avenue 9, Netcong
- North Corporate Drive 2, Riverdale
- Greenwood Lake Turnpike Ringwood
- Lakeside Avenue Pompton Lakes
- West Shore Drive Stillwater Township
Track Camp Ryker Lake 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 Camp Ryker Lake Dam
Where does the data for Camp Ryker Lake 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 Significant 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 Camp Ryker Lake Dam.