Bests Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Greene County, Illinois, built in 1971. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 350 ft long, taller than 83% 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 Bests Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Bests Pond Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Robert L. Best (private). It impounds the Cole Creek near Clark-offstream.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 335 acre-feet. Completed in 1971, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 08/22/2025.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Greene |
| Nearest City | Clark-offstream |
| River/Stream | Cole Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.25426, -90.52317 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1971 (55 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 335 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 335 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 109 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | Robert L. Best |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/22/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01026 |
| Federal ID | IL01026 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |