West Lake Estates Dam is an earth dam located in Monroe County, Illinois, built in 1986. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 33 ft33 ft tall and 415 ft long, taller than 76% 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 West Lake Estates Dam
The primary purpose of West Lake Estates Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by West Lake Homeowners Association (private). It impounds the Trib Fountain Creek near Waterloo.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 415 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 123 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1986, the structure is 40 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/21/2024.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Monroe |
| Nearest City | Waterloo |
| River/Stream | Trib Fountain Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.31517, -90.17479 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 415 ft |
| Year Completed | 1986 (40 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 40 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
| Drainage Area | 17 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 325 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | West Lake Homeowners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/21/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50171 |
| Federal ID | IL50171 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |