Cervantes Lake Dam dam
Cervantes Lake Dam
Cervantes Lake Dam, located in Pulaski, Illinois, is a privately owned structure with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1971 by the USDA NRCS, this Earth-type dam stands at 23 feet tall and spans a length of 645 feet. With a storage capacity of 245 acre-feet, the dam serves as a picturesque spot for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy boating, fishing, and other recreational activities.
Managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Cervantes Lake Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with a hazard potential rated as low. Despite its moderate risk assessment score, the dam has not undergone a recent condition assessment, and details on its emergency action plan and risk management measures are not available at this time. With its serene surroundings and commitment to safety, Cervantes Lake Dam remains a popular destination for water resource and climate enthusiasts in the area.
Located in the St. Louis District and situated along the TRIB BOAR CREEK, Cervantes Lake Dam offers a tranquil retreat in Unity, Illinois. Although there are no associated structures or federal agency involvements, the dam continues to provide a valuable water resource for the local community. As efforts to enhance its risk assessment and emergency preparedness evolve, Cervantes Lake Dam stands as a testament to responsible dam management and the importance of balancing recreation with safety in our natural environment.
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 Cervantes Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At Thebes | 269,000 cfs | → |
| Cache River At Forman | 3 cfs | → |
| Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 5 cfs | → |
| Little Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 1 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Metropolis | 444,000 cfs | → |
| Massac Creek Near Paducah | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cervantes Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Front Mound City
- Mill Road Pulaski County
- Access Road Pulaski County
- 2nd Street Thebes
- Clear Creek Levee Road Union County
- Red Star Access
Campgrounds
- General Watkins Conservation Area - Mdc
- Trail Of Tears State Forest
- Trail Of Tears State Park
- Pine Hills Campground
- Pine Hills
- Turkey Ridge Tent Campground
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 Cervantes 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 Cervantes Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cervantes 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 Low 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 Cervantes Lake Dam.