Indian Run
Indian Run is an earth dam located in Berks County, Pennsylvania, built in 1890. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Indian Run
The primary purpose of Indian Run is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Birdsboro Municipal Authority (local government). It impounds the Indian Run.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 430 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 92 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1890, the structure is over a century 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/22/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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 | Berks |
| River/Stream | Indian Run |
| Coordinates | 40.24056, -75.81833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 430 ft |
| Year Completed | 1890 (136 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 92 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 92 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 70 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | BIRDSBORO MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/22/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | PA00713 |
| Federal ID | PA00713 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |