Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam dam
Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam
The Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam in Illinois, completed in 2003 by BROWN & ROBERTS, INC., serves as a vital flood risk reduction structure along the TRIB PANKEY BRANCH stream. This earth dam stands at 25 feet tall and spans 1200 feet, providing a storage capacity of 959 acre-feet to manage excess water during times of high discharge. With a significant hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating, this dam is regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity.
Owned by the local government and located in Saline County, Illinois, the Harrisburg-Sahara Dam plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding area from potential flooding events. Its primary purpose is to reduce the risk of flood damage and safeguard the community against water-related disasters. Despite its remote location, the dam's impact on the region's water resource management cannot be understated, as it provides essential flood control measures and helps maintain a stable environment for both residents and wildlife.
With a normal storage capacity of 465 acre-feet and a surface area of 70 acres, the Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam plays a key role in managing water levels and mitigating flood risks in the region. As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, structures like this become increasingly important in safeguarding communities against the threat of flooding and ensuring sustainable water resource management 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 Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Saline River Nr Carrier Mills | 48 cfs | → |
| Lusk Creek Near Eddyville | 130 cfs | → |
| Crab Orchard Creek Near Marion | 16 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Old Shawneetown | 259,000 cfs | → |
| Big Muddy River At Plumfield | 245 cfs | → |
| Cache River At Forman | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam.
Boat launches
- Cotton Road Saline County
- Town Park Road Saline County
- Meadowlark Road Williamson County
- Hickory Johnson County
- Reservoir Road 11298, Williamson County
- Front Street Elizabethtown
Campgrounds
- Saline County State Fish & Wildlife Area
- Teal Pond Campground
- Bear Branch Horse Resort
- Pharaoh Campground
- Red Bud Campground
- High Knob Campground
Fishing spots
- One Horse Gap Lake
- Lake Of Egypt
- Lake Tecumseh
- Whoopie Cat Lake
- Little Cache Lake #1 (Bowman Lake)
- Dutchman Lake
Paddle runs
- Wallace Cemetery Approx 2.5 Miles Nw Of Herod, Il To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda Jobs Corp Center
- Source, About 2 Miles East Of Delwood, Il (Sec 10, T11s, R6e) To Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop (Se1/4,Sec.16,T12s, R6e)
- 1 Minle Southwest Of Delwood, Il (Sec. 18, T11s, R13e) To Reesville, 1/4 Mile South Of The Confluence With Sugar Creek
- Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda,Il
- Russell Cemetery, Approx 1/4 Mile North Of Karbers Ridge Road To Proclamation Boundary, 1 Mile Nw Of Elizabethtown,Il
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
Track Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment 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 Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam
Where does the data for Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment 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 Significant 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 Harrisburg-Sahara Retention Impoundment Dam.