Pana Lake Dam
Pana Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Shelby County, Illinois, built in 1920. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Pana Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Pana Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Pana (local government). It impounds the Becks Creek near Vandalia.
The dam stands 53 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 241 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,004 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century old.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/16/2025.
At 53 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Shelby |
| Nearest City | Vandalia |
| River/Stream | Becks Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.36522, -89.02186 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 6,004 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 6,004 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,297 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 241 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 16,650 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF PANA |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/16/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00142 |
| Federal ID | IL00142 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |