Lake Lasalle Dam
Lake Lasalle Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Lasalle Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Lasalle Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Lasalle Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Big Thunder Creek.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 35 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 808 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 06/15/2015. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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 | Brown |
| River/Stream | Big Thunder Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.30799, -86.26001 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 808 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 808 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 380 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 7,021 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | LAKE LASALLE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/15/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00051 |
| Federal ID | IN00051 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |