Indian Lake
Indian Lake is an earth dam located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Indian Lake
The primary purpose of Indian Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Indian Lake Borough (local government). It impounds the Calendars Run.
The dam stands 71 feet tall and stretches 960 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 541 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 16,132 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 13 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 12/15/2020.
At 71 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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 Pennsylvania 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 | Pennsylvania |
| County | Somerset |
| River/Stream | Calendars Run |
| Coordinates | 40.02889, -78.87222 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 71 ft |
| Dam Height | 71 ft |
| Dam Length | 960 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 16,132 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 16,132 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9,288 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 541 acres |
| Drainage Area | 13 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | INDIAN LAKE BOROUGH |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/15/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00228 |
| Federal ID | PA00228 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |