Lake Catatoga Dam
Lake Catatoga Dam is an earth dam located in Macoupin County, Illinois, built in 1972. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
About Lake Catatoga Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Catatoga Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Catatoga Association, Inc. (private). It impounds the Trib Dry Fork Macoupin Creek near Carlinville.
The dam stands 52 feet tall and stretches 555 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,011 acre-feet. Completed in 1972, 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 08/16/2025.
At 52 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Macoupin |
| Nearest City | Carlinville |
| River/Stream | Trib Dry Fork Macoupin Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.18889, -89.94703 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Length | 555 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,011 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,011 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 786 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | LAKE CATATOGA ASSOCIATION, INC. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 08/16/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00356 |
| Federal ID | IL00356 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |