Hamilton Lake-north Dam

About Hamilton Lake-north Dam

Hamilton Lake-north Dam is a dam in Steuben, Indiana. The dam is owned by Indiana Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Fish Creek.

The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 104 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 755 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 18,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 16 square miles. Completed in 1832, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 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 06/07/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

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.

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