Lake Mohee Dam Actively Failing — County Faces $2 Million Minimum Repair

From the Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #1 on August 3, 2026

The Lake Mohee Dam is actively failing and will cost a minimum of $2 million to replace, County Surveyor Chris Green told the Blackford County Council at its first 2027 budget workshop.

Engineers who inspected the dam presented two options: a $5 million design with a 500-year return rate, two-lane road, and large spillway, or a $2 million option using expanded rock in mesh coating with a one-lane road that meets minimum state requirements. The road over the dam is barricaded. Engineers who drove across before the inspection refused to drive back across afterward.

Green said water is flowing into the dam structure but not emerging on the other side — indicating it is undermining the foundation. The dam sits 28 feet above the ditch at Gadbury Road over approximately one mile. If it fails, the erosion damage would be severe and costly.

The county took ownership of the dam in the early 1980s. The IDNR has monitored it for five years. It passed inspection during the first five years of the surveyor's tenure but has failed the last five.

No grants are available because there are no houses downstream — disaster management grants require residential risk. Financing would likely require bonds. One attendee estimated the tax impact at an additional $250 to $600 per year for homes valued at $200,000 to $400,000.

These are engineer's estimates only — no construction bids have been solicited. Council President Beckley said he wants to see actual bids before committing.

Source: Blackford County Council Budget Workshop #1 transcript, August 3, 2026 (YouTube)

Some information may be inaccurate due to video audio quality.