Upper Mill Dam

About Upper Mill Dam

The primary purpose of Upper Mill Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Millpond Improvement Association (private). It impounds the Dowagiac Creek near Dowagiac.

The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 125 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,330 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 52 square miles. Completed in 1970, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/03/2015. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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 Michigan dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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