Lake Thunderbird Dam
Lake Thunderbird Dam is an earth dam located in Putnam County, Illinois, built in 1970. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lake Thunderbird Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Thunderbird Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Thunderbird Association (private). It impounds the Trib Senachwine Creek near Putnam.
The dam stands 86 feet tall and stretches 910 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 109 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,844 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1970, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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.
At 86 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Putnam |
| Nearest City | Putnam |
| River/Stream | Trib Senachwine Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.20514, -89.43738 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 86 ft |
| Dam Height | 86 ft |
| Dam Length | 910 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,844 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,844 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,938 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 109 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,320 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | LAKE THUNDERBIRD ASSOCIATION |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00528 |
| Federal ID | IL00528 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |