Wright Lake Dam dam
Wright Lake Dam
Wright Lake Dam, located in Brown County, Indiana, is a privately owned structure that was completed in 1970 by designer Creel Sprague. This earth dam stands at a height of 30 feet and has a length of 255 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 70 acre-feet. The dam is situated on an unnamed tributary of Mount Liberty Creek and is regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Despite its age, Wright Lake Dam is in poor condition and has a high hazard potential, according to a 2006 assessment. The dam has an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with a maximum discharge of 127 cubic feet per second. The surrounding area has a drainage area of 0.24 square miles, making it crucial to monitor the dam's integrity and maintenance to mitigate any potential risks to downstream communities.
With a risk assessment rating of moderate, Wright Lake Dam requires regular inspections, with the last one conducted in November 2020. The dam's emergency action plan status and risk management measures are currently unknown, highlighting the importance of proactive measures to ensure the safety and sustainability of this critical water resource infrastructure in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Wright Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Salt Creek At Nashville | 101 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Columbus | 1,410 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At Columbus | 501 cfs | → |
| Driftwood River Near Edinburgh Ind | 995 cfs | → |
| Sugar Creek Near Edinburgh | 295 cfs | → |
| Haw Creek Near Clifford | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wright Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Bartholomew County
- County Road North 325 West 4311, Bartholomew County
- Water Street 300-498, Columbus
- Tannehill Road Bartholomew County
- County Road 550 North Bartholomew County
- Us 31 Edinburgh
Campgrounds
- Happy Hollow’S Children Camp
- Brown County State Park
- Heflen Co Park
- Horseman's Camp
- Yellowwood State Forest
- Camp Atterbury Military
Track Wright 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 Wright Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wright 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 High 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 Wright Lake Dam.