Hill Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Monroe County, Illinois, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 30 ft30 ft tall and 325 ft long, taller than 68% 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 Hill Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Hill Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Columbia Sportsmans Club (private). It impounds the Hill Lake Creek near Kimmswick.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 325 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 123 acre-feet. Completed in 1968, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/13/2023.
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 | Monroe |
| Nearest City | Kimmswick |
| River/Stream | Hill Lake Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.47823, -90.21658 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 325 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Columbia Sportsmans Club |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/13/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00526 |
| Federal ID | IL00526 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |