Lake Helen Dam is an earth dam located in Hamilton County, Illinois, built in 1959. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 26 ft26 ft tall and 770 ft long, taller than 55% 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 Lake Helen Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Helen Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bruno T. Geneikis (private). It impounds the Trib Greasy Creek near Elba.
The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 770 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 67 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1959, 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 05/24/2021.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Hamilton |
| Nearest City | Elba |
| River/Stream | Trib Greasy Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.99913, -88.61479 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 770 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 67 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 67 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 88 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Bruno T. Geneikis |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/24/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00533 |
| Federal ID | IL00533 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |