School Street Detention Basin Dam is an earth dam located in Tazewell County, Illinois, built in 1996. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 330 ft long. 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 School Street Detention Basin Dam
The primary purpose of School Street Detention Basin 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 City of Washington (local government). It impounds the Trib Farm Creek near Washington.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 330 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 8 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1996, the structure is 30 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 04/15/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Tazewell |
| Nearest City | Washington |
| River/Stream | Trib Farm Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.69574, -89.47386 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 330 ft |
| Year Completed | 1996 (30 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 195 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Washington |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/15/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50388 |
| Federal ID | IL50388 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |