Prairie Creek Reservoir Dam
Prairie Creek Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Delaware County, Indiana, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Prairie Creek Reservoir Dam
Prairie Creek Reservoir Dam is a dam in Delaware, Indiana. The dam is owned by Indiana-american Water Co Inc (public utility). It impounds the Prairie Creek.
The dam stands 61 feet tall and stretches 3,100 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,275 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 36,670 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 16 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 09/04/2019.
At 61 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Delaware |
| River/Stream | Prairie Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.14653, -85.29362 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 61 ft |
| Dam Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,100 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 36,670 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 36,670 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,275 acres |
| Drainage Area | 16 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 14,597 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Indiana-American Water Co Inc |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/04/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00038 |
| Federal ID | IN00038 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |