Totally surrounded by forest, Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reservoir are at the heart of one of the largest and most popular outdoor recreation complexes in the northeastern United States. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites you to visit the reservoir and discover a diversity of year-round recreational opportunities that will delight the outdoor enthusiast.

Allegheny Reservoir near the dam can reach depths of 130 feet or more during the summer months. The upper reaches of the lake are fairly shallow. Diving is permitted in the Pennsylvania and New York sections of the reservoir. A diving flag must be displayed. Divers should exercise extreme caution on weekends as surface boat traffic can be very heavy at times.

Divers should stop at the Resource Manager's or Park Office on the day of dive to make park rangers aware of dive plans.

Please Note:

• The Kinzua Dam/Allegheny Resevior are deep water - 100+ feet!
• There are several other hazards that you must be alert for:
  1. Boat Traffic with unlimited horsepower, MUST SHOW DIVE FLAG!
  2. MONITOR your depth and time continously!
  3. VISIBILITY ranges from 5 to 20 feet.
  4. Water Temperature on the bottom is always 42 Degrees, all seasons!
  5. On weekends during the summer, heavy use generally makes this a less desirable time for non-motorized watercraft

What To See

The Pennsylvania state record for walleye and northern pike, and the New York state record for walleye and channel catfish have come from Allegheny Reservoir. The fishery is managed primarily for walleye, but it also supports good populations of northern pike, muskellunge, smallmouth bass, brown trout, yellow perch, and white bass. An intense habitat management program is attempting to revive several fish populations, including largemouth bass, black & white crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and bullhead.

Two dive sites:

• One site is close to the dam. In fact, driving past the dam, and going east on Rt. 59, you will go only about three-quarters of a mile before spotting huge, house-sized rocks across the river. This site drops down to about 80 foot, with a bottom of rock and mud
• Another site is close to the Roper Hollow launch ramp, north of the dam. Again, this is a small inlet to the left of the launch ramp, where divers have reported decent visibility, and regular lake fish life.

The average depth of the lake is about 48 feet and the maximum depth is about 132 feet.