Knight Hawk/prairie Eagle/north Refuse Area Dam is an earth dam located in Perry County, Illinois. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 50 ft50 ft tall and 5,100 ft long, taller than 92% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Knight Hawk/prairie Eagle/north Refuse Area Dam
The primary purpose of Knight Hawk/prairie Eagle/north Refuse Area 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 Knight Hawk Coal, LLC (private). It impounds the Trib Galum Creek near Cutler.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 5,100 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 32 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,487 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
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 12/09/2025.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Perry |
| Nearest City | Cutler |
| River/Stream | Trib Galum Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.07039, -89.57681 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,100 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,487 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,487 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,350 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 32 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 30 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Knight Hawk Coal, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/09/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50617 |
| Federal ID | IL50617 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |