Campus Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jackson County, Illinois, built in 1869. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 20 ft20 ft tall and 500 ft long. 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 Campus Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Campus Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Southern Illinois University (state). It impounds the Trib Piles Fork near Carbondale.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 40 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 290 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1869, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
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 12/03/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Carbondale |
| River/Stream | Trib Piles Fork |
| Coordinates | 37.70811, -89.22344 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1869 (157 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 158 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 40 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 365 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Southern Illinois University |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/03/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00034 |
| Federal ID | IL00034 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |