Heritage Lake Dam
Heritage Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Putnam County, Indiana, built in 1971. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Heritage Lake Dam
Heritage Lake Dam is a dam in Putnam, Indiana. The dam is owned by Clear Creek Conservancy District (local government). It impounds the Clear Creek.
The dam stands 51 feet tall and stretches 1,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 297 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1971, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/19/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 51 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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 | Putnam |
| River/Stream | Clear Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.71778, -86.72688 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 51 ft |
| Dam Height | 51 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1971 (55 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 9,800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 9,800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 297 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 22,710 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Owner | CLEAR CREEK CONSERVANCY DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/19/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00222 |
| Federal ID | IN00222 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |