Cortlandt Lake Dam dam
Cortlandt Lake Dam
Cortlandt Lake Dam, located in Cortlandt, New York, is a concrete structure completed in 1929 with a primary purpose of recreation. Standing at a height of 37 feet and stretching 225 feet in length, the dam overlooks the picturesque Sprout Brook and offers a surface area of 17 acres for visitors to enjoy. With a normal storage capacity of 140 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 6700 cubic feet per second, the dam provides both a serene environment for recreational activities and essential flood protection for the surrounding area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Cortlandt Lake Dam has a high hazard potential but is currently assessed to be in satisfactory condition. The dam has a history of regular inspections, with the most recent one conducted in November 2020, and a designated emergency action plan in place. Despite its moderate risk assessment, measures for risk management and potential inundation maps are yet to be developed. As a significant landmark in the region, Cortlandt Lake Dam serves as a crucial water resource for the community while also offering a safe and enjoyable environment for outdoor enthusiasts and climate advocates alike.
Overall, Cortlandt Lake Dam stands as a symbol of both natural beauty and engineering prowess, showcasing the harmonious balance between water resource management and recreational activities. As climate change continues to impact our planet, the importance of sustainable infrastructure like Cortlandt Lake Dam becomes increasingly evident. By prioritizing regular inspections, risk assessments, and emergency preparedness, this historic dam serves as a key example of how effective water resource management can both support local communities and protect the environment for future generations.
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 Cortlandt Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Croton R @ New Croton Dam Nr Croton-On-Hudson Ny | 180 cfs | → |
| Muscoot River At Baldwin Place Ny | 4 cfs | → |
| Muscoot River Below Dam At Amawalk Ny | 12 cfs | → |
| W Br Croton River Below Dam Near Kent Cliffs Ny | 8 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River At Richardsville Ny | 3 cfs | → |
| West Branch Croton River Near Carmel Ny | 11 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cortlandt Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Bear Mountain Bridge Road Cortlandt
- Hudson Avenue Peekskill
- Broadway Buchanan
- Cortlandt Street Cortlandt
- Battlefield Road Town Of Stony Point
- Croton Riverwalk Croton-On-Hudson
Campgrounds
- Camping For Hikers On Ballfield Graymoor Center
- Blue Mountain Reservation
- Round Pond Military
- Clarence Fahnestock State Park
- Croton Point Park
- Beaver Pond Campsite
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Kent Bridge To Boardman Bridge
- Pond Downstream Of Shepaug Reservoir Dam, Marked By Service Road Bridge To Ends In Backwaters Of Lake Lillinonah, Near Roxbury Falls
- Begins Downstream Of The Borough Of Bantam, At Stoddard Road Bridge To The Confluence With The Shepaug River
- Falls Mountain Road In Canaan, Connecticut To Kent Bridge
Track Cortlandt 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 Cortlandt Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cortlandt 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 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 Cortlandt Lake Dam.