Brush Creek Reservoir
Brush Creek Reservoir is an earth dam located in Jennings County, Indiana, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Brush Creek Reservoir
The primary purpose of Brush Creek Reservoir is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Camp Atterbury (federal). It impounds the Brush Creek near North Vernon.
The dam stands 47 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 175 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 5,900 acre-feet. Completed in 1953, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/12/2013. That was 12 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 47 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
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 Indiana 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.
Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Jennings |
| Nearest City | North Vernon |
| River/Stream | Brush Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.05577, -85.52464 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,900 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,900 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 175 acres |
| Max Discharge | 9,135 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Camp Atterbury |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 08/12/2013 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00013 |
| Federal ID | IN00013 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |