Pont-ca Lake Dam is an earth dam located in White County, Illinois, built in 1949. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 20 ft20 ft tall and 1,050 ft long. 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 Pont-ca Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Pont-ca Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Trib Little Wabash River near Carmi-offstream.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 1,050 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 25 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 320 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 474 square miles. Completed in 1949, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 08/09/2024.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | White |
| Nearest City | Carmi-offstream |
| River/Stream | Trib Little Wabash River |
| Coordinates | 38.07609, -88.21058 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,050 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 320 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 320 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 25 acres |
| Drainage Area | 474 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,895 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Property Owners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/09/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00579 |
| Federal ID | IL00579 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |