Vanwinkle Lake Dam
Vanwinkle Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Fulton County, Illinois, built in 1900. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Vanwinkle Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Vanwinkle Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Walljasper (private). It impounds the Trib Big Creek near Canton.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 19 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 178 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1900, the structure is over a century 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/09/2025.
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 | Fulton |
| Nearest City | Canton |
| River/Stream | Trib Big Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.54987, -90.04719 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1900 (126 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 178 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 178 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 99 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 19 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,201 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | WALLJASPER |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/09/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00143 |
| Federal ID | IL00143 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |