Christmas Lake Dam
Christmas Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Spencer County, Indiana, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Christmas Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Christmas Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Christmas Lake Properties Association, Inc. (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Crooked Creek.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 1,750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 200 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,520 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/24/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% 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 | Spencer |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Crooked Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.10651, -86.91579 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,520 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,520 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 200 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 9,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CHRISTMAS LAKE PROPERTIES ASSOCIATION, INC. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/24/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00144 |
| Federal ID | IN00144 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |