Yellowwood Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1939. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 57 ft57 ft tall and 800 ft long, taller than 94% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Yellowwood Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Yellowwood Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Department of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Jackson Creek.
The dam stands 57 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 138 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,678 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1939, 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 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 06/28/2018. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 57 feet, this dam is taller than 94% 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 | Brown |
| River/Stream | Jackson Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.17695, -86.33912 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 57 ft |
| Dam Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,678 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,678 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,777 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 138 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 17,494 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Department of Natural Resources |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/28/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00270 |
| Federal ID | IN00270 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |