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2020 Photo Contest Winning Submissions

Sunset In Glass Ball at Beltzville Dam & Reservoir
The period of daytime shortly after sunrise and before sunset is known as the golden hour, or the ‘magic hour’, by photographers and cinematographers. The softer light creates beautiful landscapes, like this one captured at Beltzville Dam and Reservoir.
Sunset at Blue Marsh Lake
Sunsets are caused by atmospheric particles refracting light through the atmosphere. The colors reflecting of the lake surface makes sunset viewing that much more spectacular at Blue Marsh Lake.
Lake fog at Beltzville Lake
Lake fog forms when warm, moist air flows over relatively colder waters. It is a common occurrence as the morning sun warms the air over the cold waters of the reservoirs, and can be seen by early risers who visit Beltzville Lake and the other Northern Area Projects.
Bald Eagle at Prompton State Park
Bald eagles require habitat with large water and forest resources to provide them with fish for food and trees for building their nests. Exclusive to North America, bald eagles can be found at all of the Northern Area Dam & Reservoir Projects.
Waterfall at Prompton State Park
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 hiking the 26 miles of hiking trails developed by Pennsylvania DCNR’s Prompton State Park.
Blue Marsh Lake Dry Brooks Boat Launch
Blue Marsh Lake provides ample fishing and boating opportunities on 1,150 acres of water, and has three powerboat launches and multiple paddle craft launching locations available for access to the lake.
Old Oak Tree at Beltzville Dam & Reservoir
The vibrant red color of fall foliage on oak trees is caused by the presence of anthocyanin pigments that are revealed as the trees slow down photosynthesis in preparation for the winter season. This reduces the amount of chlorophyll pigments that give leaves their green color and lets other hidden colors shine through.
Monarch Butterfly at Beltzville
Monarch butterflies conduct cross-continental journeys upwards of 3,000 miles every year to overwintering locations. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects conduct environmental stewardship initiatives to help provide habitat resources for these incredible insects and a variety of other pollinator species.
Winter at Blue Marsh Lake
The Visitor Center at Blue Marsh Lake provides a viewing platform for the dam & control tower, lake, and Dry Brooks Day Use Area.
Powder Mill Creek Bridge, Blue Marsh Lake
Measuring 60 feet in length and constructed with steel I-beams for sustainability, Powder Mill Creek Bridge is one of the few bridges along the 30 mile Main Multi-Use Trail that allows visitors to cross a lake inlet.
Blue Marsh Lake Island
A high point in the basin landscape creates an island within Blue Marsh Lake. Once the location of a rock quarry for Glen Gery Shale Brick Corporation, the land was left to revert back to nature and now houses a variety of wildlife including turkeys, deer, and migratory bird species.
Snow Capped Thistles at Blue Marsh Lake
Thistles left to stand over the winter months provide valuable food resources for overwintering bird species and habitat for a variety of insects.

2020 Northern Area Photo Contest

In 2020, 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 100 photos. Then, the District invited the public to vote for their favorite photographs from each season. We are pleased to present this 2021 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 2021 contest later this winter. 

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