Indiana Department of Natural Resources

402 W. Washington St. W255 B

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2748

Phone: (317) 232-4200

Work on Jimmerson Lake dam to start Oct. 23

            Major repair work on Jimmerson Lake dam near Nevada Mills in Steuben County is scheduled to start Oct. 23.

            The work is needed because both the dam and spillway system at the west end of the lake do not meet current engineering standards. To bring the dam into compliance and provide for public safety during an extreme storm event, the spillway system will be modified to safely meet the flow required by current standards.

            Work to be done downstream of the spillway includes installing channel erosion protection. A safety cable with anchors and buoys will also be installed upstream.

            The earthen embankment side slopes will be cleared of all trees and brush, with fill material added as needed. To prevent water from overtopping the road from erosion caused by a heavy rain during construction, the downstream slope will be covered with concrete blocks and the upstream slope will be covered with a combination of materials.

            To provide for safety of the public and those working on the dam, County Road 500 W will be closed starting Oct. 23. During closure, detours will take traffic to 300 W or 600 W.

            "We understand that closing the road is a major inconvenience for some, but it is necessary due to the extent of the work on the dam," said Tom Hohman, director of the Division of Engineering of the Department of Natural Resources, which owns of the dam.

            The dam was built in 1835, then rebuilt in 1948-49. Emergency work was last done on the spillway, in January 2005. A spillway's purpose is to control the water level of the lake.

-30-