Lake Austin Dam

About Lake Austin Dam

The primary purpose of Lake Austin Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Austin Lakes, Inc. (private). It impounds the Town Fork near Hammondsville.

The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 550 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 76 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,748 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 1947, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/09/2024.

At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 86% 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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