Lake Murphysboro Dam
Lake Murphysboro Dam is an earth dam located in Jackson County, Illinois, built in 1947. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
About Lake Murphysboro Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Murphysboro Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Illinois Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Trib Big Muddy River near Sand Ridge-offstream.
The dam stands 46 feet tall and stretches 590 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 166 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,281 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1947, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/07/2024.
At 46 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Sand Ridge-offstream |
| River/Stream | Trib Big Muddy River |
| Coordinates | 37.77367, -89.38131 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 46 ft |
| Dam Height | 46 ft |
| Dam Length | 590 ft |
| Year Completed | 1947 (79 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,281 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,281 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,375 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 166 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 9,171 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 11/07/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00021 |
| Federal ID | IL00021 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |