Brown County SP closed due to water issues

NASHVILLE — Brown County State Park and Abe Martin Lodge closed to the public at about 4 p.m. MONday due to a lack of usable water supply caused by the heavy rainfall over the last several days.

The park remained closed to the public Tuesday. The decision about closure beyond Tuesday is day-to-day.

The park’s water source is Ogle Lake, which is within park boundaries. Water is drawn from the lake and is treated through the park’s in-house facility.

The significantly larger-than-normal quantities of water coming into the lake has brought soil with it, increasing the water’s turbidity. The high turbidity prevents the system from reducing it for treatment quickly enough at the intake site. This has resulted in an insufficient quantity of water to supply park facilities.

The DNR Engineering staff and consultants who designed the system are on site working on the issue.

All campers who were in the park, about 50, were notified. The campers who were scheduled to come in Monday as well as those scheduled for Tuesday night were also notified.

Updates will be posted at stateparks.IN.gov/7881.htm and on social media. If additional camper or inn guest cancellations are required, those guests will be notified directly by park staff or through the central reservation system.