Saline Lake Dam
Saline Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Winn Parish, Louisiana, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Saline Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Saline Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Saline Lake Game And Fish Preserve Commission (local government). It impounds the Saline Bayou near St. Maurice.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 16,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8,450 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 122,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 420 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/08/2022.
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 Louisiana 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 | Louisiana |
| County | Winn |
| Nearest City | St. Maurice |
| River/Stream | Saline Bayou |
| Coordinates | 31.85260, -92.93133 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 16,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 122,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 122,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 60,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8,450 acres |
| Drainage Area | 420 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 62,860 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Saline Lake Game and Fish Preserve Commission |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/08/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | LA00026 |
| Federal ID | LA00026 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |