Arclar/willow Lake/refuse Area 2 Dam
Arclar/willow Lake/refuse Area 2 Dam is an earth dam located in Saline County, Illinois. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Arclar/willow Lake/refuse Area 2 Dam
The primary purpose of Arclar/willow Lake/refuse Area 2 Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Arclar Company, Llc (private). It impounds the Trib Cockerel Branch near Equality.
The dam stands 108 feet tall and stretches 12,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 172 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,790 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
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 11/11/2025.
At 108 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Saline |
| Nearest City | Equality |
| River/Stream | Trib Cockerel Branch |
| Coordinates | 37.75795, -88.42639 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 108 ft |
| Dam Height | 108 ft |
| Dam Length | 12,000 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,790 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 10,790 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10,331 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 172 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | ARCLAR COMPANY, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 11/11/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50593 |
| Federal ID | IL50593 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |