Philadelphia District Civil Works – Francis E. Walter Dam (2024)

The Francis E. Walter Dam was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1961 and has prevented more than $220 million in flood damages. It also supports recreation in the Lehigh Valley with planned fishing and whitewater rafting water releases.

Remnants of trees can be found throughout the reservoir from where they once stood before the dam was created. These natural structures provide beneficial habitat for aquatic species when the landscape is under water.

Two commonly seen turtle species in Pennsylvania are the Eastern Painted Turtle (left & far right) and the Red-Eared Slider (middle). The native Painted Turtle competes for food, basking, and nesting areas with the larger non-native Slider which was introduced by people illegally releasing their pet turtles into the wild. To keep our native flora & fauna healthy and thriving, don’t release pets into the wild and choose native plants for your landscaping.

The Francis E. Walter Dam has prevented more than $220 million in flood damages since its construction. It also supports recreation along the Lehigh River with planned fishing and whitewater rafting water releases.

The red-spotted purple butterfly is common to Pennsylvania, it is a beautiful forest butterfly that is commonly seen in the woodland area surrounded by Francis E. Walter Dam.

Bald eagles require habitat with large water and forest resources to provide them with fish for food and trees for building their nests. Exclusive to North America, bald eagles can be found at all of the Northern Area Dam & Reservoir Projects.

As visitors drive along the entrance roadway, they are greeted with a spectacular view of dam tower, reservoir, and surrounding landscape when they reach the dam.

Open cliff faces and fractured rock within the southerly facing tree line area at Francis E. Walter Dam provide prime habitat for rattlesnakes. Students from East Stroudsburg University have studied the rattlesnake population at the project.

Double-crested Cormorants are a common site at large inland lakes and reservoirs across North America. They forage for their favorite food, small fish, by diving below the surface and swimming. Unfortunately, they can often mistake lost fishing lures as food and end up entangled in the attached fishing line or hooks. Making sure you dispose of fishing waste properly helps keep them and other species safer from harm.