Lake Taylorville Dam
Lake Taylorville Dam is an earth dam located in Christian County, Illinois, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lake Taylorville Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Taylorville 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 Taylorville (local government). It impounds the South Fork Sangamon River near Taylorville.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 1,400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,287 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 28,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 125 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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 06/19/2025.
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 | Christian |
| Nearest City | Taylorville |
| River/Stream | South Fork Sangamon River |
| Coordinates | 39.53129, -89.25541 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 28,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 28,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10,394 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,287 acres |
| Drainage Area | 125 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 54,840 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF TAYLORVILLE |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 06/19/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00678 |
| Federal ID | IL00678 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |