Donta Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jackson County, Ohio, built in 1965. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 42 ft42 ft tall and 455 ft long, taller than 88% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Donta Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Donta Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Billie Colley (private). It impounds the Tributary to Symmes Creek near Cadmus.
The dam stands 42 feet tall and stretches 455 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 104 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 04/29/2021.
At 42 feet, this dam is taller than 88% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Cadmus |
| River/Stream | Tributary to Symmes Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.86083, -82.46389 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Height | 42 ft |
| Dam Length | 455 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 104 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 104 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 62 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 13 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Billie Colley |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 04/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00501 |
| Federal ID | OH00501 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |