Lake Maria Dam is an earth dam located in Richland County, Ohio, built in 1958. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 850 ft long, taller than 86% 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 Lake Maria Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Maria Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Maria LLC (private). It impounds the Tributary to Mohican River near Bellville.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 172 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1958, 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 11/21/2024.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Richland |
| Nearest City | Bellville |
| River/Stream | Tributary to Mohican River |
| Coordinates | 40.67472, -82.52778 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 850 ft |
| Year Completed | 1958 (68 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 172 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 172 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 135 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 26 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lake Maria LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/21/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00983 |
| Federal ID | OH00983 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |