This award honors those dams in Ohio that have been judged to be the best cared for in their ownership category. To be eligible for this award a dam must be at least five years old (or that it has been at least five years since the dam was rehabilitated) and must be in compliance with all of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources dam safety regulations.
Awards Presented in November 2020
Eramet Waste Retention Dam (Washington County, Ohio) owned by Eramet is hereby awarded the Ohio Dam Safety Organization's Best Maintained Dam Award for the Industrial Dam category. 
St. Henry WWT Lagoon (Mercer County, Ohio) owned by the Village of St. Henry is hereby awarded the Ohio Dam Safety Organization's Best Maintained Dam Award for the Local Public Dam category. 
Goodrich Lake Dam (Warren County, Ohio) owned by Victor and Eva Goodrich is hereby awarded the Ohio Dam Safety Organization's Best Maintained Dam Award for the Private Dam category. 
Awards previously presented include the following:
| Year | Category | Facility Name | Owners / Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Private Dam | Pierce-Ruhland Pond Dam | |
| Local Public Dam | Lake Brunswick | ||
| 2018 | Local Public Dam | Four Mile Creek Dam | Preble County Commissioners |
| Private Dam | Lake Arrowhead Dam | Randy Swetnam | |
| 2017 | Local Public Dam | Delphos Reservoir Dam | City of Delphos |
| Private Dam | Moe Pond Dam | Colonel Thomas Moe | |
| 2016 | Property Owner Association | Sunrise Lake Dam | Sunrise Landing Community |
| Private Dam | Zupan Lake Dam | Joe Zupan | |
| 2015 | Private Dam | Brookside Country Club Lake Dam | Brookside Country Club |
| Local Public Dam | Yellow Creek Upground Reservoir | Village of Leipsic | |
| 2014 | Private Dam | Silver Creek Dam | Battelle Memorial Institute |
| Local Public Dam | Coldwater Wastewater Treatment Dam | Village of Coldwater | |
| 2013 | Local Public Dam | Munroe Falls Lake Dam Summit County, Ohio | Metro Parks, Serving Summit County |
| Conservancy District | Rush Creek Structure No. 5-A Fairfield County, Ohio | Rush Creek Conservancy District | |
| Property Owner Association | Sunrise Lake Dam Warren County, Ohio | Sunrise Lake Board | |
| 2012 | Local Public (Co-Recipient) | O'Shaughnessy Dam Delaware County | Columbus Division of Water and Power |
| Local Public (Co-Recipient) | Silver Creek Metro Park Dam Summit County | Metro Parks, Serving Summit County | |
| Private | Hammerhead Lake Dam Warren County | Kenneth Weiss | |
| 2011 | Local Public | Letha House Lake Dam Medina County | Medina County Park District |
| Private | Gross Lake Dam Wayne County | Donald Grossniklaus | |
| 2010 | Local Public | Bear Town Lake Dam Geauga County | Geauga Park District |
| Private | Green Lake Dam Pickaway County | Mr. Kent Green | |
| State | Caldwell Lake Dam Ross County | ODNR Division of Parks and Recreation | |
| 2009 | Local Public | Findlay Upground Reservoirs No. 1 & 2 Hancock County | City of Findlay Ohio |
| 2008 | Industrial | Lake Evans Dam Mahoning County | Aqua Ohio |
| 2007 | Private | Camp Francis Asbury Lake Dam Gallia County | Shawnee Valley District United Methodist Church |
| 2006 | Private | Mead Foremen’s Club Pond Dam Ross County | Countrytyme ALC |
| Property Owners Association | Choctaw Lake Dam Madison County | Choctaw Lake Property Owners Association | |
| State | Stonelick Lake Dam Clermont County | ODNR Division of Parks and Recreation | |
| 2005 | Conservancy District | Taylorsville Dam Montgomery County | Miami Conservancy District |
| Local Public | East Cold Run Salem Reservoir Dam Columbiana County | City of Salem Ohio | |
| Private | Lake Stroman Dam Champaign County | Jake and Terry Conley | |
| 2004 | Conservancy District | Hunters Run Structure No. 8 Fairfield County | Hunters Run Conservancy District |
| Industrial | Lincoln Heights Upground Reservoir Hamilton County | Southwestern Ohio Water Company | |
| Private | Jack Towne Dam Guernsey County | Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Gail Cowan | |
| State | Jackson Lake Dam Jackson County | ODNR Division of Parks and Recreation | |
| 2003 | None Awarded | ||
| 2002 | Local Public | Silver Creek Metro Park Dam | Summit County Metro Parks |
| Private | Luczek Dam | Dr. Stephen Luczek | |
| Property Owners Association | Lake Waynoka Dam | Lake Waynoka Property Owners Association | |
| Conservancy District | Germantown Dam | Miami Conservancy District | |
| 2001 | Industrial | USEC Dam X-230K | U.S. Enrichment Corporation |
| Private | Middletown Sportsmen's Club Dam | Middletown Sportsmen Club | |
| Industrial | Lake Lorelei Dam | Lake Lorelei Property Owners Association | |
| 2000 | Industrial | Lake Dorothy Dam Summit County | PPG Industries |
| Private | Pine Tree Lake Dam Wayne County | Mr. & Mrs. Robert Dush | |
| State | Harrison Lake Dam Fulton County | ODNR Division of Parks and Recreation | |
| 1999 | Industrial | Lake Dorothy Dam | PPG Industries |
| State | Essington Dam at Perry State Forest | ODNR Division of Forestry | |
| 1998 | Conservancy District | Hunter Run Structure #1 | Hunter Run Conservancy District |
| Industrial | Lime Sludge Lagoon Dam X611-B | U.S. Enrichment Corporation | |
| Local Public | Findlay Upground Reservoir #1 | City of Findlay Water Treatment Plant | |
| Property Owners Association | Lake-In-the-Woods Dam | Lake-In-the-Woods Association | |
| State | Stewart Lake Dam Great Seal/Scioto Trail State Park | ODNR Division of Parks |