Amazon Lake Dam
Amazon Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Owen County, Indiana, built in 1975. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Amazon Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Amazon Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Amazon Shores Homeowners Association Incorporated (private). It impounds the Mill Creek.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 260 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 36 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 613 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1975, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/01/2019.
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 | Owen |
| River/Stream | Mill Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.35030, -86.74833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 260 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 613 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 613 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 399 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 36 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,211 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | AMAZON SHORES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/01/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00478 |
| Federal ID | IN00478 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |