Ferguson Upground Reservoir

About Ferguson Upground Reservoir

The primary purpose of Ferguson Upground Reservoir is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Lima (local government). It impounds the Ottawa River - Offstream near Lima.

The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 17,400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 307 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 8,259 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1959, 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 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 05/24/2022.

At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 Ohio dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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