Lower Woods Pond dam
Lower Woods Pond
Lower Woods Pond in Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania, is a state-regulated recreational dam situated on the East Branch Dyberry Creek. Built in 1848, this earth dam stands at a height of 21 feet and stretches 900 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 1470 acre-feet. Despite its historical significance, Lower Woods Pond is currently rated as having a high hazard potential and poor condition assessment, raising concerns for its long-term safety and maintenance.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection oversees the state permitting, inspection, and enforcement of Lower Woods Pond, ensuring compliance with regulations to mitigate risks associated with the dam's condition. With a surface area of 91 acres and a drainage area of 3.14 square miles, the pond offers recreational opportunities for visitors but also poses potential hazards due to its deteriorating state. As climate change impacts water resources, the management and upkeep of Lower Woods Pond are crucial to safeguarding its surrounding community and the environment.
As discussions around climate resilience and water resource management continue to gain traction, Lower Woods Pond serves as a focal point for evaluating the intersection of infrastructure safety, recreational value, and environmental stewardship. With its outdated condition and high hazard potential, the dam presents challenges that require proactive measures and strategic planning to ensure the long-term sustainability of this vital water resource in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.
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 Lower Woods Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| West Branch Lackawaxen River Near Aldenville | 35 cfs | → |
| Equinunk Creek Near Dillontown | 41 cfs | → |
| Dyberry Creek Near Honesdale | 76 cfs | → |
| Delaware River At Lordville Ny | 1,980 cfs | → |
| West Branch Lackawaxen River At Prompton | 62 cfs | → |
| Delaware River At Callicoon Ny | 2,410 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lower Woods Pond.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Soaring Eagle Campground
- Keen Lake Camping And Cottage Resort
- Lander's Skinners Falls Campground
- French Woods Performing Arts Camp
- Lander's Narrowsburg Campground
- Sylvania Tree Farm Camp Sites
More reservoirs
Track Lower Woods Pond 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 Lower Woods Pond
Where does the data for Lower Woods Pond 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 Lower Woods Pond.