Dongola Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Union County, Illinois, built in 1970. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 610 ft long, taller than 78% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Dongola Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Dongola Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Village of Dongola (local government). It impounds the Little Creek near Dongola.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 610 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 70 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,671 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1970, 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 03/24/2025.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 | Union |
| Nearest City | Dongola |
| River/Stream | Little Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.36058, -89.17157 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 610 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,671 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,671 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 550 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 70 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 18,624 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Village of Dongola |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 03/24/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00026 |
| Federal ID | IL00026 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |