Prairie Cr. No. A-2-1 (swartzentruber)

About Prairie Cr. No. A-2-1 (swartzentruber)

The primary purpose of Prairie Cr. No. A-2-1 (swartzentruber) is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Prairie Creek Daviess Conservancy District (local government). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Prairie Creek near Washington.

The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 975 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 61 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 490 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 12/28/2018.

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