COLUMBUS, Ind. — It’s not raining, but a flash flood watch is in place for a small area around Lamberson/Staller Lake in Bartholomew County.
The reason is that the lake’s dam is at risk of failing. Contractors took a look at the dam this week and informed county emergency management workers that they notice water seeping through parts of the dam, suggesting that the dam is weakening and could fail.
“I hope and pray the dam will hold,” said Bruce Otte, who lives downstream from the dam, to WISH-TV. “What can I do? I can’t move the house and there’s not sandbagging or anything like that, just gotta sit back and keep your eyes and ears open I guess.”
Otte’s home is one of about 20 homes that could get flooded should the dam fail. For now, residents have taken it upon themselves to put a water pump in place to try and relieve some of the stress on the dam.
With melting snow likely to flow into the lake over the next few days, the National Weather Service has put a Flash Flood Watch in place until Saturday afternoon.
