Lake Manitou Dam is an earth dam located in Fulton County, Indiana, built in 1827. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 400 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 Lake Manitou Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Manitou Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City of Rochester (local government). It impounds the Mill Creek.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 775 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,875 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 44 square miles. Completed in 1827, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
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. 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 10/15/2020.
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Location
| State | Indiana |
| County | Fulton |
| River/Stream | Mill Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.06021, -86.19491 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1827 (199 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,875 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,875 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 775 acres |
| Drainage Area | 44 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Rochester |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/15/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN03440 |
| Federal ID | IN03440 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |