Highland Community College Lake Dam
Highland Community College Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Stephenson County, Illinois, built in 1970. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Highland Community College Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Highland Community College Lake Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Highland Community College (private). It impounds the Trib Preston Creek near Freeport.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 470 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 52 acre-feet. Completed in 1970, 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 06/05/2025.
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 | Stephenson |
| Nearest City | Freeport |
| River/Stream | Trib Preston Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.28613, -89.67645 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 470 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 24 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 3,670 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | HIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 06/05/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50221 |
| Federal ID | IL50221 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |