Harrison Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Edwards County, Illinois, built in 1956. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 17 ft17 ft tall and 650 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 Harrison Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Harrison Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dr. C. W. Harrison (private). It impounds the Trib Crooked Creek near Browns.
The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 650 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 74 acre-feet. Completed in 1956, 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 07/29/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Edwards |
| Nearest City | Browns |
| River/Stream | Trib Crooked Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.54043, -88.01323 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Length | 650 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 39 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Dr. C. W. Harrison |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/29/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00164 |
| Federal ID | IL00164 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |