Dongola Lake Dam dam
Dongola Lake Dam
Dongola Lake Dam, located in Union, Illinois, serves as a vital water resource for the local community. Built in 1970, this earth dam stands at a height of 34 feet and spans a length of 610 feet, holding a maximum storage capacity of 1671 acre-feet. The dam primarily serves the purpose of recreation and water supply, providing a surface area of 70 acres for various activities.
Managed by the local government, Dongola Lake Dam is regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, ensuring proper inspection and enforcement measures are in place to maintain its structural integrity. With a high hazard potential due to its location on Little Creek, the dam has a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, highlighting the importance of effective risk management strategies. Despite the lack of available condition assessment data, Dongola Lake Dam remains a key infrastructure for water supply and recreational activities in the region.
As a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts and climate advocates, Dongola Lake Dam offers a picturesque setting for water-related activities while also serving as a crucial component of the local ecosystem. With its uncontrolled spillway and significant drainage area of 3.6 square miles, the dam plays a pivotal role in flood control and water management. Despite its age, Dongola Lake Dam continues to be a cornerstone of water resource management in Illinois, showcasing the importance of sustainable infrastructure for future generations.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Dongola Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache River At Forman | 3 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Thebes | 269,000 cfs | → |
| Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 5 cfs | → |
| Little Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 1 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Metropolis | 444,000 cfs | → |
| Big Muddy River At Rte 127 At Murphysboro | 523 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dongola Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Access Road Pulaski County
- Clear Creek Levee Road Union County
- Mill Road Pulaski County
- 2nd Street Thebes
- Red Star Access
- Front Mound City
Campgrounds
- Trail Of Tears State Forest
- Turkey Ridge Tent Campground
- Horse Campground
- Pine Hills
- Pine Hills Campground
- Trail Of Tears State Park
Fishing spots
- Dutchman Lake
- Little Cache Lake #1 (Bowman Lake)
- Lake Of Egypt
- One Horse Gap Lake
- Whoopie Cat Lake
- Lake Tecumseh
Paddle runs
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
- Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda,Il
- 1 Minle Southwest Of Delwood, Il (Sec. 18, T11s, R13e) To Reesville, 1/4 Mile South Of The Confluence With Sugar Creek
- Source, About 2 Miles East Of Delwood, Il (Sec 10, T11s, R6e) To Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop (Se1/4,Sec.16,T12s, R6e)
- Wallace Cemetery Approx 2.5 Miles Nw Of Herod, Il To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda Jobs Corp Center
Track Dongola Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Dongola Lake Dam
Where does the data for Dongola Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Dongola Lake Dam.