Magness Lake Dam #1 is an earth dam located in Brown County, Indiana, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 28 ft28 ft tall and 225 ft long, taller than 62% 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 Magness Lake Dam #1
The primary purpose of Magness Lake Dam #1 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Harry Sanders (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Owl Creek.
The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 61 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/22/2020.
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 Owl Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.20651, -86.27913 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1962 (64 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 61 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 61 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 45 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 368 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Harry Sanders |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 09/22/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00574 |
| Federal ID | IN00574 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |