Whispering Hills Recreation Lake Dam

Whispering Hills Recreation Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Holmes County, Ohio, built in 1968. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Whispering Hills Recreation Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Whispering Hills Recreation Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Murray Family Ltd., Partnership (private). It impounds the Tributary To Lake Fork near Big Prairie.

The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 52 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

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 10/23/2024.

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Significant HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: No

Location

StateOhio
CountyHolmes
Nearest CityBig Prairie
River/StreamTributary To Lake Fork
Coordinates40.64222, -82.06417

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height23 ft
Dam Height23 ft
Dam Length800 ft
Year Completed1968 (58 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage52 acre-ft
Max Storage52 acre-ft
Normal Storage39 acre-ft
Surface Area6 acres
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge139 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerMurray Family Ltd., Partnership
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection10/23/2024
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDOH01792
Federal IDOH01792
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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