Lake Carlinville Dam
Lake Carlinville Dam is an earth dam located in Macoupin County, Illinois, built in 1938. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
About Lake Carlinville Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Carlinville 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 Carlinville (local government). It impounds the Honey Creek near Medora-offstream.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 785 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 233 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,405 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 24 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 03/24/2026.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Macoupin |
| Nearest City | Medora-offstream |
| River/Stream | Honey Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.24357, -89.86604 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 785 ft |
| Year Completed | 1938 (88 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,405 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,405 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,110 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 233 acres |
| Drainage Area | 24 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF CARLINVILLE |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 03/24/2026 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00778 |
| Federal ID | IL00778 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |