Busseron Dam No. L-5
Busseron Dam No. L-5 is an earth dam located in Sullivan County, Indiana, built in 1963. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Busseron Dam No. L-5
The primary purpose of Busseron Dam No. L-5 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 Busseron Conservancy District (local government). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Buck Creek near Paxton.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 870 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 720 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1963, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected 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 04/17/2019.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Sullivan |
| Nearest City | Paxton |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Buck Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.09586, -87.44899 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Length | 870 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 720 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 720 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 80 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,070 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BUSSERON CONSERVANCY DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/17/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00064 |
| Federal ID | IN00064 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |