Lake Geneva Dam
Lake Geneva Dam is an earth dam located in Switzerland County, Indiana, built in 1944. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Geneva Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Geneva Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Danny L And Toddalene L Cupp (private). It impounds the Upper Indian Creek.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 460 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 303 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1944, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/25/2015. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 | Switzerland |
| River/Stream | Upper Indian Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.85435, -85.03412 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 460 ft |
| Year Completed | 1944 (82 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 303 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 303 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 194 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 444 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | DANNY L AND TODDALENE L CUPP |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/25/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00422 |
| Federal ID | IN00422 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |