A full drawdown has begun at Pennsylvania’s High Point Lake in Somerset County

Harrisburg — In advance of a major dam rehabilitation project at High Point Lake, located in Addison Township, Somerset County, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission announced in mid-August that the process has begun to complete a full drawdown.

While a full drawdown of the lake was not expected to occur until spring 2026 in anticipation of the project, this process is beginning earlier than expected as a safety precaution.

As previously announced, during a routine inspection of the High Point Lake dam by commission engineers in July, seepage was detected at the auxiliary spillway and dam embankment.

In consultation with design engineers and state dam safety officials, a partial drawdown of the lake was conducted, and the dam was inspected while in a dry condition. During this inspection, structural concerns were confirmed, and a full drawdown was recommended as a precautionary measure so that water flows can be redirected away from the auxiliary spillway.

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Over the next six to eight weeks, depending on local rainfall, visitors to High Point Lake will notice water levels being slowly lowered. Eventually, only a small pool of water will remain within the reservoir to control sediment flow into downstream waterways.

During the drawdown period, commission staff will conduct fish health testing and, if appropriate, a fish salvage to move as many fish as possible to other waterways.

While High Point Lake will remain open to fishing and boating as long as possible during the drawdown, anglers and boaters should use caution and avoid muddy areas along the shoreline, lakebed, and boat launch.

Currently, all fishing seasons, sizes, and creel limits remain lifted to help reduce the number of fish in the lake.

The $5.5 million rehabilitation project, which will include the construction of a new dam embankment and spillway to meet Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection dam safety standards, is currently in the permitting phase.

Following the issuing of final permits, construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2026 or spring 2027. Once construction begins, the project is expected to last approximately 1.5 years.