storing of flood water (ultimate flood control storage is ) during the June 1972 Storm Agnes which resulted in reducing peak flows in the Juniata River at Lewistown and Newport, Pennsylvania by and , respectively. Had the project not been available for flood storage, stages at both of these stations would have exceeded the record 1936 flood. It is estimated that Lake Raystown Dam was effective in preventing Agnes damages in the Juniata Basin downstream from the dam of $48,100,000 and of $11,900,000 along the lower Susquehanna River" (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1974). The formal ceremony of dedication for Lake Raystown was June 6, 1974 and the area attracts about 1.5 million visitors annually. The history of the Raystown Dam is not limited to the history of the dam and lake itself but also includes the human history of the watershed and the environmental laws relevant to the area. The original hydroelectric dam underwent construction in 1907 resulting in the Raystown Water and Power Co. (later Penelec) generating their first electricity in 1912. The spillway elevation was around above sea level. The expansion brought the water level up to a normal operating level of above sea level with an overflow at , and included a 20 megawatt conventional hydropower generator. Part of the town of Aitch is now under the level of the lake. While it is rumored that there are entire towns (and dead bodies of townspeople who refused to leave) still intact under the water, only a few more permanent structures were left in place. Some roads, a bridge over the old river, the original power station and the original dam still remain. Archaeological area Sheep Rock Shelter is an area of archaeological significance near the present-day Susquehannock Campground. Originally a wide ledge over the Juniata River, it provided shelter from the elements for its inhabitants. Its location and orientation preserved the remains buried below by protecting them from wind and moisture. When it was announced in the 1960s that the lake would be expanded, Juniata College and Pennsylvania State University excavated to uncover artifacts that would otherwise be flooded, ending their state of preservation. Their work recovered human remains from as long as 12,000 years ago. The Penn State University Library holds a 29-minute film about the site, titled "Discovery at Sheep Rock." References External links Raystown Lake Region – tourism information Raystown Lake – short