M. D. Borah Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Richland County, Illinois, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 960 ft long, taller than 82% 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 M. D. Borah Lake Dam
The primary purpose of M. D. Borah Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City of Olney (local government). It impounds the Trib Fox River near Avon.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 960 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 4,720 acre-feet. Completed in 1953, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/20/2022.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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 | Richland |
| Nearest City | Avon |
| River/Stream | Trib Fox River |
| Coordinates | 38.77431, -88.07089 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 960 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,720 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,720 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,060 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 6,225 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Olney |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 10/20/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00331 |
| Federal ID | IL00331 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |