Rayburn Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Madison County, Illinois, built in 1968. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 355 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Rayburn Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Rayburn Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ray Rayburn (private). It impounds the Trib Sugar Creek-offstream near Highland.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 355 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 64 acre-feet. Completed in 1968, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 07/11/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Madison |
| Nearest City | Highland |
| River/Stream | Trib Sugar Creek-offstream |
| Coordinates | 38.76971, -89.64597 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 355 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 64 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 64 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ray Rayburn |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/11/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01035 |
| Federal ID | IL01035 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |