Davis Lake Dam is an earth dam located in St. Clair County, Illinois, built in 1940. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 570 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 Davis Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Davis Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Davis Lake Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Trib Prairie Dupont Creek near French Village.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 570 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 632 acre-feet. Completed in 1940, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 09/22/2025.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | St. Clair |
| Nearest City | French Village |
| River/Stream | Trib Prairie Dupont Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.49444, -90.08089 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 570 ft |
| Year Completed | 1940 (86 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 632 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 632 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 177 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 1,361 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Davis Lake Property Owners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/22/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50189 |
| Federal ID | IL50189 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |