Blue Spring Lake

Blue Spring Lake is a gravity dam located in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, built in 1928. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Blue Spring Lake

The primary purpose of Blue Spring Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Blue Spring Lake Management District (local government). It impounds the Spring Creek.

The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 136 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 900 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1928, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/05/2021.

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 Wisconsin 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.

High HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateWisconsin
CountyJefferson
Nearest CityNone
River/StreamSpring Creek
Coordinates42.85755, -88.60837

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height15 ft
Dam Height15 ft
Dam Length600 ft
Year Completed1928 (98 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage900 acre-ft
Max Storage900 acre-ft
Normal Storage500 acre-ft
Surface Area136 acres
Drainage Area1 sq mi
Max Discharge164 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerBlue Spring Lake Management District
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection04/05/2021
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDWI00145
Federal IDWI00145
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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