Ogle Lake Dam
Ogle Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1939. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Ogle Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Ogle Lake Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Indiana Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Upper Schooner Creek.
The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 617 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 516 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/26/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Unnamed Tributary Upper Schooner Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.15941, -86.24879 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 617 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 516 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 516 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,963 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Indiana Department of Natural Resources |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/26/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00275 |
| Federal ID | IN00275 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |