Fairwood Lake Dam
Fairwood Lake Dam is an earth dam located in St. Clair County, Illinois, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Fairwood Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Fairwood Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Fairwood Lake Home Owners Association (private). It impounds the Engle Creek near Lebanon.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 370 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 16 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 229 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1969, 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 03/11/2024.
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 | St. Clair |
| Nearest City | Lebanon |
| River/Stream | Engle Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.60651, -89.90722 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 370 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 229 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 229 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 137 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 397 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | FAIRWOOD LAKE HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 03/11/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01022 |
| Federal ID | IL01022 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |