Candlewick Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Boone County, Illinois, built in 1974. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 39 ft39 ft tall and 1,860 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 Candlewick Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Candlewick Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Candlewick Lake Association (private). It impounds the Trib Beaver Creek near Belvidere.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 1,860 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 210 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,573 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1974, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/17/2025.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% 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 | Boone |
| Nearest City | Belvidere |
| River/Stream | Trib Beaver Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.34759, -88.86559 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,860 ft |
| Year Completed | 1974 (52 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,573 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,573 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,127 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 210 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,122 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Candlewick Lake Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01174 |
| Federal ID | IL01174 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |