Marcy Dam was a wooden

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

on the Marcy Brook in the

Adirondack High Peaks The Adirondack High Peaks are a set of 46 mountain peaks in the Adirondack Mountains of New York (state), New York state. They have been popular hiking destinations since the late 1920s, when the list of peaks was published in Russell Carson's bo ...

in North Elba,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, United States; it impounded Marcy Dam Pond. An early version of the dam was constructed by the Conservation Corps during the 1930s. It was rebuilt most recently during the early 1970s. Marcy Dam can be reached only by

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

; it lies from the

Adirondack Loj The Adirondak Loj (pronounced "Adirondack Lodge") is a historic lodge in North Elba, Essex County, New York. It is near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains. The current facility, located on the shore of Heart Lake, was built in 1927 and ...

at an elevation of surrounded by Whales Tail Mountain,

Wright Peak Wright Peak is a mountain in the MacIntyre Range of the Adirondacks in the U.S. state of New York. It is the 16th-highest of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks, with an elevation of . It is located in the town of North Elba in Essex County. The ...

Algonquin Peak Algonquin Peak is a mountain in the MacIntyre Range of the Adirondacks in the U.S. state of New York. It is the second-highest mountain in New York, with an elevation of , and one of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks. It is located in the town of N ...

, Avalanche Mountain,

Mount Colden Mount Colden is a mountain in the Adirondacks in the U.S. state of New York. It is the eleventh-highest peak in New York, with an elevation of , and one of the 46 High Peaks in Adirondack Park. It is located in the town of Keene in Essex Coun ...

, TR Mountain, and Phelps Mountain. The area around where the dam stood is a popular camping spot for hikers in the high peaks. The

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (informally referred to as NYSDEC, DEC, EnCon or NYSENCON) is a department of New York state government. The department guides and regulates the conservation, improvement, and protecti ...

maintains an Interior Outpost on the western shore. There are a number of campsites and

lean-to A lean-to is a type of simple structure originally added to an existing building with the rafters "leaning" against another wall. Free-standing structures open on one or more sides (colloquially referred to as lean-tos in spite of being unattac ...

s in the area, and trails lead from the dam to most of the high peaks;

Mount Marcy Mount Marcy is the highest point in the Adirondack Mountains and the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, with an elevation of . It is located in the town of Keene, New York, Keene in Essex County, New York, Essex County. The mountain is ...

is to the southeast. During

Hurricane Irene Hurricane Irene was a large and destructive tropical cyclone which affected much of the Caribbean and East Coast of the United States during late August 2011. The ninth tropical cyclone naming, named storm, first hurricane, and first major ...

, the dam was damaged due to flooding and the pond was partially drained. The trail that went over the dam has been rerouted downstream. In January 2014, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that Marcy Dam would be removed. NYSDEC explained that the "dam no longer holds back water during low flow periods and has an inadequate spillway." The department added that contemporary standards for this structure would make reconstruction expensive. Finally, NYSDEC noted that "the principles of wilderness management include allowing rivers and streams to flow unfettered and to minimize human-made structures."

References

{{coord, 44, 09, 28, N, 073, 57, 06, W, region:US-NY_type:waterbody, display=title Dams in New York (state) Adirondacks Buildings and structures in Essex County, New York Buildings and structures completed in the 1930s Dams completed in the 1930s 1930s establishments in New York (state) Wooden buildings and structures in the United States