Springs Valley Lake (f7)
Springs Valley Lake (f7) is an earth dam located in Orange County, Indiana, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Springs Valley Lake (f7)
The primary purpose of Springs Valley Lake (f7) is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Usda Fs (federal). It impounds the French Lick Creek near French Lick.
The dam stands 68 feet tall and stretches 890 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 141 acres, and has a storage capacity of 1,690 acre-feet. 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/24/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 68 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 | Orange |
| Nearest City | French Lick |
| River/Stream | French Lick Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.48151, -86.56834 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 68 ft |
| Dam Height | 68 ft |
| Dam Length | 890 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,690 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,690 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 141 acres |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | USDA FS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/24/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00076 |
| Federal ID | IN00076 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |