2023 Photo Contest

CONGRATULATIONS to this year's photo contest winners! 
THANK YOU to everyone who participated and continues to share the beauty of our Northern Area Projects!

2023 Photo Contest Winning Submissions

Waterfalls are an exciting natural feature to take in during any time of the year. These falls can be found when hiking the 2 mile Saw Mill Run Trail at Beltzville State Park. Photographer: Stacey Hines
Dyberry Creek watershed consists of 71 square miles and flows through Jadwin Dam down to the Lackawaxen River near Hones-dale, PA. Jadwin Dam is a dry dam and allows the creek to flow freely and only impounds water during flood risk management operations to protect downstream communities. Photographer: Sarah Hine
Waterfalls occur where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops along the course of a stream or river. These features can be found while the 16.6 miles of hiking trails developed by PA DCNR's Beltzville State Park. Photographer: Michele Good
Did you know? The energy from one lightning flash could power a 100 watt light-bulb for more than 3 months! The Blue Marsh Lake Visitor Center provides perfect views of incoming storms. Photographer: John Kupetz
A view from the Blue Marsh Lake Visitor Center captures the sun sinking behind the Day Use Area across the lake. No two sunsets are alike due to changing weather conditions, time of year, and time of day when they are captured. Photographer: John Kupetz
Kayakers at F.E. Walter Dam captured a double rainbow while practicing roll over techniques. Since 2005, F.E. Walter has worked with partners to foster a flow management plan that benefits the downstream fishing and white water rafting communities on the Lehigh River. Photographer: Tanya Ann Diaz
From headwaters to tailwaters, the Great Blue Heron is a com-mon sight at all of the Northern Area Dam & Reservoir Projects. Look for them along stream edges and shorelines as they hunt for small fish and amphibians. Photographer: Deb Eveland
The male American Goldfinch boasts brilliant yellow color against its black feathers. Gold-finches exclusively eat seeds. Prompton Dam staff foster grass-land and wildflower habitats that provide plentiful food resources for a variety of bird species. Photographer: Sarah Hine
"That's my boy! Doing what he loves! He finally landed his biggest bass on Blue Marsh Lake off Sheidy Boat Launch after a beautiful day boating and fishing with me, his Poppy and Mom-mom. A parent's best heart beats are those powered by the excite-ment and achievements of their children!" - Deb Eveland
On days with clear skies, the sun can be seen as a perfect orb as it sets. Dry Brooks Boat Launch's west facing views offer a perfect spot to watch the sunset throughout the seasons. Photographer: Deb Eveland
The pastel hues of a fall sunset highlight the silhouettes of the shoreline aquatic habitat at Prompton Dam's reservoir. Reeds, lilies, and pickerel weed provide vital resources for small and young fish to hide from bigger predators. Photographer: Sarah Hine
Originally part of the Ohnmacht Farmstead, the "Ranger Barn" at Blue Marsh Lake is used for equipment storage and work projects. The barn was constructed from a Sears and Roebuck Kit, and has clearly stood the test of time. Photographer: Carol Cole

Northern Area Photo Contest

In 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Philadelphia District ran a social media based photo contest for the public. Participants were encouraged to submit their best photos of the District’s 5 dams in Eastern Pennsylvania: Blue Marsh Lake, Beltzville Dam, Francis E. Water Dam, Prompton Dam, General Edgar Jadwin Dam and adjacent state park areas. Participants from across the region submitted more than 40 photos. Then, the District invited the public to vote for their favorite photographs from each season. We are pleased to present this 2024 downloadable calendar featuring the top 12 images. Thank you to all of the talented photographers for submitting photos and to the participants who voted! We'll be sharing information on the 2024 contest later in the new year. 

Photo Contest Rules

By entering or participating in the USACE Philadelphia District's Northern Area Photo Contest, Contestants agree to be bound by these official rules.

Any photographer who is at least 18 years of age and is a legal resident of the United States.

Exceptions:
1. Photographers who derive 5 percent or more of their income from taking photographs are ineligible.

1. Photos should be taken at the following U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facilities and adjacent state parks:

  • Francis E. Walter Dam
  • Beltzville Dam (and Beltzville State Park)
  • Blue Marsh Lake
  • Prompton Dam (and Prompton State Park)
  • General Edgar Jadwin Dam

Follow this link for facility locations: http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Locations/

2. Contestants can submit three (3) photos per category in the following categories:

  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
  • Summer

3. Photo subject matter is open to outdoor recreation activities, nature and wildlife, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Structures (i.e. dams, stilling basins, spillways, levees).

4. Drones are strictly prohibited for use on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers property. Aerial photos can only be submitted if they were taken from a plane flight and should be specified in the photograph information during submission. 

5. Photographs containing nudity, obscenity, profanity, pornography, violence, and anything that is lewd or offensive in nature, or otherwise inappropriate images will be excluded from the contest. The U.S. Government reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject and disqualify any images that are considered inappropriate or depicting unsafe activities.

6. No alteration or manipulation of photographs is permitted except for cropping, red eye removal, and/or adjustment of contrast and brightness.

7. Winning photos from previous years will not be considered.

Photos must be submitted by email in a jpeg (.jpg) format, with a maximum file size 3 MB.  

The e-mail must contain appropriate contact information for the entrant, and containing at a minimum, full name, address, and phone number of the entrant. The e-mail must also contain the category designation of the photo submission.

Identification of the location at which the photograph was taken is strongly recommended. Please describe any action depicted in the photo if applicable. Any personal information that is submitted by the contestants will be for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers internal use only and for the sole purpose of this photo contest. Contestant entry information will not be shared with any other parties or appear with entries on the Facebook album where photos will be ‘judged.’

Each entrant may submit up to 3 photos per category (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer). Each photo must be an original photo personally taken by the entrant at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility or structure.

A credit will be provided under winning images selected for the digital calendar. Entrants should include how they want their name to appear in the credit line. Descriptions or titles, if any, used with the photos are at the government’s sole discretion.

Entries for each category must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on November 19, 2023 to be considered for the contest.

All photographs will be posted into an album on Facebook and will be open for public voting beginning November 27, 2023 and ending at 11:59 p.m. December 04, 2023.
Votes will be counted according to the number of ‘likes’ each photo receives.
Entrants may tag or identify their photos on Facebook at their own discretion.
Winning photographs will be announced on the Philadelphia District web page, Facebook page, and in other related media outlets.

The top 3 winners of each category, 12 in total, will be included in a downloadable 2024 calendar available by December 22, 2023.

Winner’s photos may be featured within the Visitor Center at Blue Marsh Lake, Beltzville Lake, and Prompton Lake.

The submitted images must be the photographer’s original work. The photographer certifies that the images submitted have never been copyrighted or, if copyrighted, that the photographer is the copyright owner. The photographer must be the sole owner of the copyright of any image submitted. The submission of the photograph is your guarantee that you are the author and copyright holder of such photograph. Photographs from the public domain are excluded from the contest. Copyright of the images will remain the property of the photographer. USACE cannot and will not print digital photographs that have previously appeared in commercial newspapers, magazine, or have appeared on commercial websites.

All photographs should be taken at a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers facility or structure within the Northern Area of the Philadelphia District.

It is the sole responsibility of the submitting photographer to obtain a written release from any recognizable person in a submitted photo. If the photograph is of a minor child (under 18), a parent’s permission must be obtained. Submittal of the photograph is the entrant’s warranty that the photograph does not infringe on any third party’s rights, and that written permission has been received by the entrant from any third party whose image appears in the photograph. By submitting a photo in this contest, you give the U.S. Government the right to use or display the photo on U.S. Government web pages and publications, as well as the web pages and publications of associated organizations without payment, compensation or other consideration to the contestant. Entrant also gives the government the right to edit, resize, convert, and recompress the photo for viewing convenience and/or faster loading. The submitted photograph may be used singly or in combination with other photographs.

All photos entered in this contest will become the property of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and will not be returned. The entrant of the photos grants the USACE the right to display the photos online, and to use the photos in print or online marketing.

In the event that the ownership of a photograph submitted is challenged in any manner by any person, the Government may disqualify that photograph and will discontinue its use.

By submitting your photos, you agree to abide by the USACE Philadelphia District's Northern Area Photo Contest Rules as described above.

Contact Us

Philadelphia District
Public Affairs Office
100 Penn Square E.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-656-6515  
Email