Bittersweet Lake Dam
Bittersweet Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Bittersweet Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Bittersweet Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bittersweet Lake Association Incorporated (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary North Fork Salt Creek.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 66 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/04/2007. That was 18 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 | Brown |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary North Fork Salt Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.32038, -86.17557 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 46 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 445 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Bittersweet Lake Association Incorporated |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/04/2007 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00588 |
| Federal ID | IN00588 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |