Summit Lake State Park Dam
Summit Lake State Park Dam is an earth dam located in Henry County, Indiana, built in 1981. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Summit Lake State Park Dam
The primary purpose of Summit Lake State Park Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Indiana Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Big Blue River near New Castle.
The dam stands 64 feet tall and stretches 3,150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 815 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 25,550 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 11/29/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 64 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 | Henry |
| Nearest City | New Castle |
| River/Stream | Big Blue River |
| Coordinates | 40.02435, -85.32606 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 64 ft |
| Dam Height | 64 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,150 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 25,550 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 25,550 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 15,900 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 815 acres |
| Drainage Area | 11 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,900 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 11/29/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00552 |
| Federal ID | IN00552 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |