Watanabe Upper Lake Dam
Watanabe Upper Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 2003. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Watanabe Upper Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Watanabe Upper Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Adlai Chester (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Gnaw Bone Creek.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 313 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 99 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 2003, the structure is relatively new.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 03/20/2018.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Brown |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Gnaw Bone Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.23345, -86.10863 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 313 ft |
| Year Completed | 2003 (23 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 99 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 99 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 58 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 778 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | ADLAI CHESTER |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/20/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN04006 |
| Federal ID | IN04006 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |