Third Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Edgar County, Illinois, built in 1961. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 39 ft39 ft tall and 1,070 ft long, taller than 85% 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 Third Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Third Lake 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 Paris (local government). It impounds the Sugar Creek near Paris.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 1,070 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 235 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,301 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 21 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/11/2025.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Edgar |
| Nearest City | Paris |
| River/Stream | Sugar Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.62977, -87.67839 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,070 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,301 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,301 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,604 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 235 acres |
| Drainage Area | 21 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 26,764 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Paris |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/11/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00744 |
| Federal ID | IL00744 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |