Paradise Lake Dam
Paradise Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, Illinois. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Paradise Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Paradise Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dean Landreth (private). It impounds the Trib East Fork Wood River.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 390 feet across.
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 08/20/2025.
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 | Madison |
| River/Stream | Trib East Fork Wood River |
| Coordinates | 38.91948, -90.09169 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 390 ft |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | DEAN LANDRETH |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 08/20/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00184 |
| Federal ID | IL00184 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |