Panama Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Montgomery County, Illinois, built in 1928. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 18 ft18 ft tall and 423 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 Panama Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Panama Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Raymond Coleman (private). It impounds the Trib Bearcat Creek near Panama.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 423 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 169 acre-feet. Completed in 1928, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 08/08/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Montgomery |
| Nearest City | Panama |
| River/Stream | Trib Bearcat Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.03467, -89.51752 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 423 ft |
| Year Completed | 1928 (98 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 169 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 169 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 89 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Raymond Coleman |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/08/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00701 |
| Federal ID | IL00701 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |