Spring Valley Estates Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jersey County, Illinois, built in 1970. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 26 ft26 ft tall and 1,955 ft long, taller than 55% 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 Spring Valley Estates Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Spring Valley Estates Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by John Surgeon (private). It impounds the Trib South Fork Otter Creek near Nutwood-offstream.
The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 1,955 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 109 acre-feet. Completed in 1970, 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 08/20/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Jersey |
| Nearest City | Nutwood-offstream |
| River/Stream | Trib South Fork Otter Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.99727, -90.40212 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,955 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 109 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 109 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 67 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | John Surgeon |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/20/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01080 |
| Federal ID | IL01080 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |