Strahl 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 · 36 ft36 ft tall and 260 ft long, taller than 82% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Strahl Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Strahl 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 Strahl Creek.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 260 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 103 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 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 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 | Strahl Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.14429, -86.21753 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 260 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 103 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 103 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 440 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 | IN00272 |
| Federal ID | IN00272 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |