Irish Lake Dam is an earth dam located in McDonough County, Illinois, built in 1937. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 172 ft long, taller than 80% 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 Irish Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Irish Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Mary Jane Irish (private). It impounds the Trib East Fork Lamoine River near Tennessee.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 172 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 05/10/2023.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | McDonough |
| Nearest City | Tennessee |
| River/Stream | Trib East Fork Lamoine River |
| Coordinates | 40.45659, -90.81701 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 172 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 31 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Mary Jane Irish |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/10/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00280 |
| Federal ID | IL00280 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |