Little Swan Lake Dam dam
Little Swan Lake Dam
Little Swan Lake Dam, located in Avon-Offstream, Illinois, stands as a vital structure along Little Swan Creek for both water resource management and recreational purposes. Built in 1968, this earth dam with a buttress core reaches a height of 49 feet and spans 958 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 5,423 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is recreation, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water-based activities in the area.
Managed by a private owner and regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Little Swan Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and moderate risk assessment. Although the condition assessment is currently not available, the dam undergoes regular inspections every five years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, the dam plays a crucial role in maintaining water levels and protecting the surrounding environment.
Despite its modest size and limited federal involvement, Little Swan Lake Dam serves as a valuable asset to the local community, offering both recreational opportunities and essential water resource management along Little Swan Creek. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the importance of sustainable dam infrastructure like Little Swan Lake Dam only grows, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued effectiveness and safety.
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 Little Swan Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Spoon River At London Mills | 441 cfs | → |
| Spoon River At Seville | 594 cfs | → |
| Henderson Creek Near Oquawka | 237 cfs | → |
| La Moine River At Colmar | 253 cfs | → |
| Pope Creek Near Keithsburg | 82 cfs | → |
| Skunk River At Augusta | 6,750 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Little Swan Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Argyle Park Road Mcdonough County
- Gatewood Lane Galesburg
- Lakeland Park Road 26005, Canton
- Schuyler Street Oquawka
- Sebree Road Fulton County
- Des Moines County
Track Little Swan 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 Little Swan Lake Dam
Where does the data for Little Swan 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 Little Swan Lake Dam.