Papakeechie Lake
Papakeechie Lake is a dam located in Kosciusko County, Indiana, built in 1913. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Papakeechie Lake
The primary purpose of Papakeechie Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is private-owned. It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Lake Wawasee.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 2,460 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 178 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,250 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1913, the structure is over a century 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 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 05/21/2019.
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 | Kosciusko |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Lake Wawasee |
| Coordinates | 41.37578, -85.67035 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,460 ft |
| Year Completed | 1913 (113 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,250 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,250 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 890 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 178 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 291 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 05/21/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00080 |
| Federal ID | IN00080 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |