Lake Carlton Dam is an earth dam located in Whiteside County, Illinois, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 41 ft41 ft tall and 1,030 ft long, taller than 87% 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 Carlton Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Carlton Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Trib Rock Creek near Morrison.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 1,030 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 77 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,742 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1969, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/22/2025.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 87% 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 | Whiteside |
| Nearest City | Morrison |
| River/Stream | Trib Rock Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.84345, -89.96037 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,030 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,742 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,742 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 803 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,538 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 10/22/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00560 |
| Federal ID | IL00560 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |