Brown Park Lake Dam dam
Brown Park Lake Dam
Brown Park Lake Dam, located in Brown County, Indiana, serves as a recreational spot for water enthusiasts in the area. Completed in 1971, this earth dam stands at a height of 27 feet and has a length of 300 feet, providing storage for up to 99 acre-feet of water. The dam is situated on an unnamed tributary of Hamilton Creek and is regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is regularly inspected and assessed to maintain its fair condition. The last inspection took place in October 2020 with a frequency of every 5 years. While the dam lacks a spillway, it has a maximum discharge capacity of 1670 cubic feet per second. The risk assessment for the dam is considered high (2), prompting the need for continued risk management measures to ensure the safety of the surrounding community in the event of a potential emergency.
Overall, Brown Park Lake Dam provides a valuable recreational resource for the area while also serving as a vital water management structure. With its strategic location and regulated maintenance, the dam remains a safe and functional asset for water resource and climate enthusiasts to enjoy.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Brown Park Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Salt Creek At Nashville | 47 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Columbus | 2,120 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Seymour Ind | 3,180 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At Columbus | 682 cfs | → |
| Driftwood River Near Edinburgh Ind | 1,240 cfs | → |
| Haw Creek Near Clifford | 31 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Brown Park Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Bartholomew County
- Water Street 300-498, Columbus
- County Road North 325 West 4311, Bartholomew County
- Indiana 258 5748, Seymour
- East 800 South 5449-5899, Columbus
- North County Road 760 East 7248, Seymour
Campgrounds
- Happy Hollow’S Children Camp
- Brown County State Park
- Hickory Ridge Horse Camp
- Horseman's Camp
- Yellowwood State Forest
- Blackwell Horsecamp
Track Brown Park Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Brown Park Lake Dam
Where does the data for Brown Park Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Brown Park Lake Dam.