Jefferson Lake Dike dam
Jefferson Lake Dike
Jefferson Lake Dike, located in Sussex County, New Jersey, is a state-regulated structure built along the Musconetcong River for recreational purposes. This earth dam stands at a height of 14 feet with a length of 300 feet, providing a storage capacity of 150 acre-feet. While the dam has a low hazard potential, it has not been rated for its condition since its last inspection in 1980.
Despite its age, Jefferson Lake Dike continues to serve its primary purpose of recreation, offering a surface area of 50 acres for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. The dam is under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), ensuring that it is regularly inspected, permitted, and enforced for safety and regulatory compliance. Its location in Byram Township adds to the charm of the surrounding landscape, making it a popular spot for residents and visitors to the area.
With its historical significance and role in water resource management, Jefferson Lake Dike remains a vital component of the local ecosystem. While it may not have undergone recent assessments for risk management or emergency preparedness, its presence along the Musconetcong River serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and conserving our water resources for future generations of climate and water resource enthusiasts to appreciate and enjoy.
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 Jefferson Lake Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Musconetcong River At Outlet Of Lake Hopatcong Nj | 14 cfs | → |
| Pequest River At Huntsville Nj | 15 cfs | → |
| Sb Raritan River At Four Bridges Nj | 16 cfs | → |
| Green Pd Bk Bl Picatinny Lk At Picatinny Ars Nj | 2 cfs | → |
| Green Pond Brook At Picatinny Arsenal Nj | 2 cfs | → |
| Eb Paulins Kill Near Lafayette Nj | 11 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Jefferson Lake Dike.
Boat launches
- Jefferson Lake Road Sussex County
- Dell Avenue 9, Netcong
- West Shore Drive Stillwater Township
- Poxono Access Area In Nj
- Mcdade Recreational Trail Delaware
- Front Street Belvidere
Track Jefferson Lake Dike 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 Jefferson Lake Dike
Where does the data for Jefferson Lake Dike 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 Low 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 Jefferson Lake Dike.