Oberlin Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Steuben County, Indiana, built in 1965. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 15 ft15 ft tall and 180 ft long. 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 Oberlin Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Oberlin Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by R. Duane Oberlin (private). It impounds the Haughey Ditch,black Creek near Hamilton.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 180 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 90 acre-feet. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 09/28/1989. That was over 37 years ago.
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Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Steuben |
| Nearest City | Hamilton |
| River/Stream | Haughey Ditch,black Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.58548, -84.91010 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 180 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 90 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 90 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Max Discharge | 15 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | R. Duane Oberlin |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/28/1989 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN00802 |
| Federal ID | IN00802 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |