Oakland Hills Dam
Oakland Hills Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, Illinois, built in 1940. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Oakland Hills Dam
The primary purpose of Oakland Hills Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cox & Swindell (private). It impounds the Trib Wendell Br near Troy.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 240 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 51 acre-feet. Completed in 1940, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/11/2025.
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 | Madison |
| Nearest City | Troy |
| River/Stream | Trib Wendell Br |
| Coordinates | 38.74646, -89.87197 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 240 ft |
| Year Completed | 1940 (86 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 25 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COX & SWINDELL |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 07/11/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50543 |
| Federal ID | IL50543 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |