ORANGE COUNTY – Springs Valley Lake, in the Hoosier National Forest south of French Lick, is a popular location for fishing and paddling. It also has a trail system that is used by hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders.
Deferred maintenance on the dam was recently completed, and to prevent erosion and maintain water quality, the dam face and outlet pool were reinforced with riprap to protect the structure from wave action and the high-volume flow of the outlet pipe. In addition, the trail section that is located atop the dam structure was enhanced with aggregate to provide for better sustainability with horse and bike use.
The Springs Valley Conservancy District helped fund the dam improvement project and additional funding was provided through the Great American Outdoors Act.
