Wallace Lake Dam dam
Wallace Lake Dam
Wallace Lake Dam, located in LaPorte, Indiana, was completed in 1997 and serves as a recreational spot for enthusiasts of fish and wildlife ponds. The privately-owned dam stands at a height of 14 feet with a length of 165 feet, providing a storage capacity of 266 acre-feet. Situated on an unnamed tributary of the Galena River, the dam is regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety.
Despite being classified with a low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2013 revealed poor conditions, indicating a need for maintenance and potential repairs. The risk assessment for Wallace Lake Dam is relatively high, with a designated risk level of 2. With a history of poor condition and high risk, it is crucial for stakeholders and regulatory agencies to prioritize the implementation of risk management measures to mitigate any potential hazards associated with the dam.
While Wallace Lake Dam currently meets its primary purpose of recreation, its condition assessment and risk level highlight the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of surrounding areas and communities. As an integral component of the local water resource infrastructure, efforts should be made to improve the dam's condition and implement necessary risk management measures to safeguard against potential emergencies.
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 Wallace Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Galien River Near Sawyer | 53 cfs | → |
| Trail Creek At Michigan City | 51 cfs | → |
| Trail Creek At Michigan City Harbor | 106 cfs | → |
| Juday Creek Near South Bend | 16 cfs | → |
| St. Joseph River At Niles | 3,920 cfs | → |
| Kankakee River At Davis | 510 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wallace Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- South Red Arrow Highway 16979, New Buffalo Township
- Lake Michigan, New Buffalo, Berrien County
- Stone Lake Public Boat Launch
- North Chain Public Boat Launch
- Burgoyne Road 13379, Buchanan Township
- River Front Drive Buchanan
Campgrounds
- Warren Dunes State Park
- Warren Dunes-Rustic
- Weko Beach
- Dunewood Campground
- Dunewood - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
- Camp Betz
Fishing spots
Track Wallace 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 Wallace Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wallace 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 Wallace Lake Dam.