Smithland Locks And Dam

Smithland Locks And Dam is a concrete dam located in Livingston County, Illinois, built in 1980. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.

About Smithland Locks And Dam

The primary purpose of Smithland Locks And Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by Usace - Louisville District (federal). It impounds the Ohio River near Smithland.

The dam stands 56 feet tall and stretches 130 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 23,600 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 738,700 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 144,000 square miles. Completed in 1980, the structure is 46 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/18/2022.

At 56 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.

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Significant HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateIllinois
CountyLivingston
Nearest CitySmithland
River/StreamOhio River
Coordinates37.16623, -88.42922

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height56 ft
Dam Length130 ft
Year Completed1980 (46 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage738,700 acre-ft
Max Storage738,700 acre-ft
Normal Storage406,000 acre-ft
Surface Area23,600 acres
Drainage Area144,000 sq mi
Max Discharge190,000 cfs
Spillway TypeNone

Ownership & Safety

PurposeNavigation
OwnerUSACE - Louisville District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection07/18/2022
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDIL50499
Federal IDIL50499
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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