Briney Lake 1 Dam
Briney Lake 1 Dam is an earth dam located in Schuyler County, Illinois, built in 1971. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Briney Lake 1 Dam
The primary purpose of Briney Lake 1 Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by J. R. Briney & Son, Inc. (private). It impounds the Trib Elm Creek near Sheldons Grove-offstream.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 460 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 301 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1971, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/06/2023.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
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 | Schuyler |
| Nearest City | Sheldons Grove-offstream |
| River/Stream | Trib Elm Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.17751, -90.26361 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 460 ft |
| Year Completed | 1971 (55 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 301 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 301 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 221 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 157 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | J. R. BRINEY & SON, INC. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 06/06/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00808 |
| Federal ID | IL00808 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |