La Lumiere Dam
La Lumiere Dam is an earth dam located in LaPorte County, Indiana, built in 1940. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About La Lumiere Dam
La Lumiere Dam is a dam in LaPorte, Indiana. The dam is owned by Rich Atkinson (private). It impounds the Unnamed Tributary Galena River.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 112 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1940, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 05/02/2017. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 | LaPorte |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Tributary Galena River |
| Coordinates | 41.70726, -86.71167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1940 (86 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 112 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 112 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 97 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Owner | Rich Atkinson |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 05/02/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IN04001 |
| Federal ID | IN04001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |