Merriman Lake Dam
Merriman Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Merriman Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Merriman Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dennis Merriman (private).
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 74 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/13/1999. That was 26 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 |
| Coordinates | 39.32083, -86.28970 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 63 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 9 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Dennis Merriman |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 04/13/1999 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00559 |
| Federal ID | IN00559 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |