Guide 10 of 12

Utility and federal lakes: what you own, and what you don't

References checked Oct 4, 2026.

Short answer: On some Pennsylvania lakes, a utility or a government agency owns the lake and the dam, and sometimes much of the shoreline.¹² Your deed may stop short of the water, and docks or yard work near the shore may need the owner's permit. Ask for those permits, and ask whether they transfer to you.

Utility lakes: the Lake Wallenpaupack example

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission says Lake Wallenpaupack is a 5,700-acre lake in Pike and Wayne counties that is owned and operated by Brookfield Renewable.¹ PFBC says the lake is run as an auxiliary electric generating facility but is open to the public for recreation such as fishing, boating and camping.¹ PFBC owns a free boat access area at Mangan Cove, and Brookfield runs other access areas that charge a fee.¹

The lake's dams are in the National Inventory of Dams: the Wilsonville dam and the Tafton Dike, listed with a public utility owner type and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as regulator, in a record updated Aug 26, 2026.³

An encyclopedia article about the lake says homeowners have access rights but must apply for permits to install landscaping or exterior lights, and can't cut vegetation to improve their view without a permit.⁴ It also says the water level is managed for power generation and changes through the year, and that people with waterfront property move their private docks out as the water recedes.⁴ Check the current rules with the utility; an encyclopedia is a starting point, not the rulebook.

What can change for a buyer on a utility lake

• Your deed may end at a line set by the lake owner, not at the water.
• Work near the shore may need the lake owner's permission as well as the township's permits.
• Dock size, season and placement rules may come from the lake owner.
• Water levels may follow the owner's operations.

Each of these is a question to ask, not a fact about any one lake.

Privately owned, federally regulated dams

Ownership and regulation are separate. Pocono Lake's dam, for example, is listed in the NID with a private owner type and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as regulator.³ Our lake pages show both fields with their dates.

Federal and state lakes with no private shore

On some lakes, public land rings the water. Wikipedia says much of the land around Raystown Lake is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and is not available for residential development, so summer homes were built near the lake rather than on the waterfront.² It describes the Allegheny Reservoir as surrounded by the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania, with very little private development along it.⁵ It says Lake Wilhelm shares its shorelines with Maurice K. Goddard State Park and State Game Land No. 270.⁶ See Lakes you can't buy on.

Federal reservoirs with state park facilities

Some lakes in the region are federal reservoirs with state park facilities on the shore. DCNR says Prompton State Park provides boat launching and picnicking at the 290-acre Prompton Lake, which is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and that 26 miles of hiking trails surround the lake.⁷ DCNR says Beltzville State Park's recreation facilities came from a cooperative effort of the Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of State Parks and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, around the 949-acre Beltzville Lake.⁸ We list a lake as having no private shore only when a source says so plainly. These two pages don't, so the two lakes are not on our Lakes you can't buy on page.

Living next to a public lake

Expect visitors on a public lake. For Lake Wallenpaupack, PFBC describes fishing, boating, waterskiing, camping, hiking and wildlife viewing, and says speed limits apply to boats.¹ Ask how busy the water near the home gets in summer, and where the public access points are.

Questions about water levels

• What range does the water level usually move through in a year?
• When does the dock sit on dry ground, and can it be moved or extended?
• Who do owners call about the level, and how are changes announced?

What to check on a utility or federal lake

• Where the property line is. Ask for a survey that shows where your lot ends and the lake owner's land begins.
• Shoreline permits. Is there a permit for the dock, path, steps or plantings? Is it current, and does it transfer to a buyer?
• Rules for docks. Size, season, removal and inspection rules may come from the lake owner, not the township.
• Water levels. How does the owner manage the level, and how does that affect this dock in late summer?
• Public use. Ask where the public launches and campgrounds are, and how busy they get.

FAQ

If the utility owns the shoreline, can I still have a dock?

It depends on the owner's rules and any permit for that spot. Ask for the permit and whether it transfers.⁴

Is a utility lake open to the public?

Lake Wallenpaupack is; PFBC describes public recreation and public access areas.¹ Other lakes differ.

Can I buy waterfront on Raystown Lake?

Wikipedia says much of the land around it is Corps land not available for residential development.² Ask what any listing's deed actually includes.

Who regulates the dam on a utility lake?

The NID records regulators. For Lake Wallenpaupack's two dams, it lists the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.³ Ask the dam's owner for the latest inspection information.

Lakes where this comes up

• Lake WallenpaupackPike and Wayne Counties
• Pocono LakeMonroe County

See also Lakes you can't buy on.