Mcleansboro Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Hamilton County, Illinois, built in 1937. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 2,955 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 Mcleansboro Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Mcleansboro 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 Mcleansboro (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek near Hoodville.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 2,955 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 62 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,253 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 11/19/2024.
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 | Hamilton |
| Nearest City | Hoodville |
| River/Stream | Bear Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.08479, -88.55174 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,955 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,253 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,253 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 604 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 62 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,957 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Mcleansboro |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/19/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00531 |
| Federal ID | IL00531 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |