Overview
Shenango River Lake is a roughly 3,560-acre summer-pool reservoir on the Shenango River near Hermitage in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, with project lands extending toward the Ohio line. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District completed the dam in 1965 for flood control, low-flow augmentation, water quality, and recreation on the Shenango, Beaver, and upper Ohio rivers. Upstream Pymatuning Reservoir feeds the same river system.
At summer conservation pool the lake has about 44 miles of shoreline across two main branches. Flood storage can expand the surface to more than 11,000 acres at the top of the flood pool, so the shoreline character changes dramatically between summer recreation pool and high-water events.
Corps recreation areas support boating, fishing, camping, and day use, with fisheries managed under Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations. The project is a key flood-control lake for the Sharon and lower Shenango valley.
Water levels are managed in NAVD88, with a summer conservation pool of 894.67 feet, a winter conservation pool near 886.67 feet, and a full flood pool of 917.67 feet. Monitoring current lake levels is important for boating, fishing, and shoreline access as the Corps stores and releases floodwater.
Current Conditions
Shenango River Lake is currently 1.59 feet below full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.72 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.02 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Shenango River Lake is a 3,560-acre reservoir on the Shenango River (including releases from Pymatuning Reservoir upstream) managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District.