Baldwin Plant Cooling Lake Dam
Baldwin Plant Cooling Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Randolph County, Illinois, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Baldwin Plant Cooling Lake Dam
Baldwin Plant Cooling Lake Dam is a dam in Randolph, Illinois. The dam is owned by Dynegey Midwest Generation, Llc (public utility). It impounds the Little Doza Creek near Evansville.
The dam stands 55 feet tall and stretches 1,370 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 203 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 36,341 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/12/2025.
At 55 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 | Randolph |
| Nearest City | Evansville |
| River/Stream | Little Doza Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.21083, -89.87794 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,370 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 36,341 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 36,341 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 26,008 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 203 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 748 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | DYNEGEY MIDWEST GENERATION, LLC |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/12/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00547 |
| Federal ID | IL00547 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |