Vesper Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, Illinois, built in 1955. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 225 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 Vesper Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Vesper 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 F. Vesper (private). It impounds the Trib Cahokia Creek near Edwardsville.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 54 acre-feet. Completed in 1955, 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 07/01/2024.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Madison |
| Nearest City | Edwardsville |
| River/Stream | Trib Cahokia Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.98467, -89.83382 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 54 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 54 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 48 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | William F. Vesper |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/01/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00199 |
| Federal ID | IL00199 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |