Sugar Mill Lake Dam
Sugar Mill Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Fountain County, Indiana, built in 1967. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Sugar Mill Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Sugar Mill Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jay Downs (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Sugar Mill Creek near Wallace.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 610 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 32 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 627 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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 04/04/2018.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Fountain |
| Nearest City | Wallace |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Sugar Mill Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.01231, -87.11370 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 610 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 627 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 627 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 209 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 32 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,202 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | JAY DOWNS |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 04/04/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00165 |
| Federal ID | IN00165 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |