Sweetwater Lake Dam
Sweetwater Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Sweetwater Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Sweetwater Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cordry Sweetwater Conservancy District (local government). It impounds the Sweetwater Creek.
The dam stands 140 feet tall and stretches 1,560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 275 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 11,700 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/10/2019.
At 140 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Brown |
| River/Stream | Sweetwater Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.29133, -86.12529 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 140 ft |
| Dam Height | 140 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,560 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 11,700 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 11,700 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 275 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,646 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CORDRY SWEETWATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/10/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00025 |
| Federal ID | IN00025 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |