Blue Springs Recreation Lake Dam

About Blue Springs Recreation Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Blue Springs Recreation Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Four Rivers Land & Timber Company (private). It impounds the Blue Creek near Keaton Beach.

The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 448 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 698 acre-feet. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/26/2014. That was 11 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Florida dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.