Mississinewa Dam
Mississinewa Dam is an earth dam located in Miami County, Indiana, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Mississinewa Dam
The primary purpose of Mississinewa Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Usace - Chicago District (federal). It impounds the Mississinewa River near Peru.
The dam stands 140 feet tall and stretches 8,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,200 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 368,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 809 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/21/2024.
At 140 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Miami |
| Nearest City | Peru |
| River/Stream | Mississinewa River |
| Coordinates | 40.71550, -85.95814 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 140 ft |
| Dam Length | 8,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 368,400 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 368,400 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 75,200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3,200 acres |
| Drainage Area | 809 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 122,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - Chicago District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 05/21/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN03004 |
| Federal ID | IN03004 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |