Crab Orchard Dam

About Crab Orchard Dam

The primary purpose of Crab Orchard Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Us Fish And Wildlife Service (federal). It impounds the Crab Orchard Creek near Carbondale, Il.

The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 3,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6,950 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 254,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 199 square miles. Completed in 1939, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/28/2020.

At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Illinois dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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