Lake Salinda Dam
Lake Salinda Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Indiana, built in 1947. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lake Salinda Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Salinda Dam 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 Salem (local government). It impounds the Hoggatt Branch.
The dam stands 43 feet tall and stretches 635 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 86 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,376 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/15/2019. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 43 feet, this dam is taller than 89% 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 Indiana 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 | Indiana |
| County | Washington |
| River/Stream | Hoggatt Branch |
| Coordinates | 38.57254, -86.09638 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 43 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 635 ft |
| Year Completed | 1947 (79 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,376 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,376 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 645 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 86 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,906 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | CITY OF SALEM |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/15/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00001 |
| Federal ID | IN00001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |