Waverly City Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Morgan County, Illinois, built in 1939. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 496 ft long, taller than 80% 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 Waverly City Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Waverly City Lake Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City of Waverly (local government). It impounds the Woods Creek near Belltown.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 496 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 64 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,536 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1939, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/02/2025.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Morgan |
| Nearest City | Belltown |
| River/Stream | Woods Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.59951, -90.01045 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 496 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,536 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,536 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 809 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 64 acres |
| Drainage Area | 9 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 14,520 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | City of Waverly |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/02/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00716 |
| Federal ID | IL00716 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |