Wood Lake Dam dam
Wood Lake Dam
Wood Lake Dam, located in Bartholomew County, Indiana, was completed in 1976 and serves as a key recreational resource for the area. This private earth dam stands at a height of 15 feet and spans 535 feet, with a storage capacity of 95 acre-feet. While primarily used for recreation, the dam also plays a role in flood control, with a maximum discharge of 770 cubic feet per second.
Despite its significant hazard potential, Wood Lake Dam has not been rated for its condition, and its last inspection dates back to July 1964. The dam has not been subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, or enforcement, raising concerns about its ongoing safety and maintenance. While the dam's emergency action plan status is unclear, its risk assessment, management measures, and compliance with guidelines remain unknown.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Wood Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned structure with potential safety and regulatory concerns. As a vital recreational and flood control asset in the region, the dam's condition and management warrant further attention and oversight to ensure the safety of both residents and wildlife in the area.
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 Wood Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Fork White River At Columbus | 13,400 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At Columbus | 3,500 cfs | → |
| Haw Creek Near Clifford | 915 cfs | → |
| Driftwood River Near Edinburgh Ind | 9,520 cfs | → |
| Sugar Creek Near Edinburgh | 4,340 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Seymour Ind | 13,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wood Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Water Street 300-498, Columbus
- County Road North 325 West 4311, Bartholomew County
- Bartholomew County
- County Road 550 North Bartholomew County
- Tannehill Road Bartholomew County
- East 800 South 5449-5899, Columbus
Campgrounds
- Happy Hollow’S Children Camp
- Heflen Co Park
- Camp Atterbury Military
- Irwin City Park
- Johnson County Park
- Brown County State Park
Track Wood 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 Wood Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wood 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 Significant 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 Wood Lake Dam.