Fools Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Mercer County, Illinois, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 28 ft28 ft tall and 473 ft long, taller than 62% 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 Fools Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Fools Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Richard L. Carlson (private). It impounds the Trib Pope Creek near Matherville.
The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 473 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 62 acre-feet. Completed in 1960, 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 05/02/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Mercer |
| Nearest City | Matherville |
| River/Stream | Trib Pope Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.21973, -90.74337 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 473 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 62 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 62 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 46 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Richard L. Carlson |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/02/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00506 |
| Federal ID | IL00506 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |