Dam Replacement Project Announced at Tobyhanna State Park

​Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania -- The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) today announced a dam replacement project at Tobyhanna State Park in Monroe and Wayne counties.

This project will consist of a full replacement of the existing dam structure and will include the altering of fishing restrictions before a complete lake drawdown.

Originally built in the 1950s, the dam at Tobyhanna will be brought up to current standards with the replacement project.

"The project will involve replacing the dam, in-kind, and a new spillway. Currently, the dam is not meeting the needs for maximum flooding, so we will increase its height during this process as well," said Alex Stout, Bureau of State Parks Assistant Regional Manager. "The infrastructure improvements to the dam and spillway are critical for the safety and operations at the park. It also gives us an opportunity to improve the fish habitat and the visitor experience for the thousands of anglers who visit each year."

The Shapiro Administration has been working hard to address infrastructure needs across our state parks and forest, making the single largest investment in decades last year.

Governor Josh Shapiro's latest budget proposal includes another strong investment in the stewardship of Pennsylvania's natural resources, with new funding to build trails and expand the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps program.

As part of the project, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is alerting anglers that effective Saturday, April 6, all seasons, sizes, and creel limits for all species except trout, will be lifted on Tobyhanna Lake.

In addition to stocked trout, the lake currently offers angling opportunities for warm-water sportfish species including Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, and Chain Pickerel.

"We have modified the regulations to reduce the number of fish in Tobyhanna Lake in advance of the complete drawdown," said David Nihart, Chief of the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management. "While trout anglers must still abide by seasons, sizes, and creel limits as usual, we encourage anglers to fish the water for other species to make good use of as many fish as they can prior to the lake being drained."

The temporary regulations will remain in place until further notice.

The lake drawdown is set to begin in mid-September 2024 for site preparation, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2025.

Once the drawdown has begun, the lakebed will be entirely off-limits to the public.

Trout will not be stocked in the fall during the repairs.

Tobyhanna State Park was previously used as the Tobyhanna Military Reservation, where munitions testing occurred.

The lakebed has not been scanned for unexploded ordinances.

Fencing and warning signs will be placed to inform the public that it is not safe to enter the lakebed.

The Army Corps of Engineers will be scanning the lakebed for these ordinances as the project progresses.

For more information contact the Tobyhanna State Park office at 570-894-8336.

Visit DCNR's website for more information about Pennsylvania's 124 state parks, and check out DCNR's Calendar of Events for events on public lands.​

MEDIA CONTACT: Wesley Robinson, 717-877-6315

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