Barger Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Pope County, Illinois, built in 1958. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 39 ft39 ft tall and 525 ft long, taller than 85% 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 Barger Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Barger Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by William Franks (private). It impounds the Trib Lust Creek near Wattersburg.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 525 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 106 acre-feet. Completed in 1958, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 06/27/2024.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Pope |
| Nearest City | Wattersburg |
| River/Stream | Trib Lust Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.55025, -88.55745 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 525 ft |
| Year Completed | 1958 (68 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 106 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 106 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 90 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | William Franks |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/27/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00072 |
| Federal ID | IL00072 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |