Mcgraw Lake Dam dam
Mcgraw Lake Dam
Mcgraw Lake Dam, located in New Athens, Illinois, is a privately-owned structure regulating the flow of the Trib Silver Creek. Built in 1927, this earth dam stands at a height of 12 feet and stretches 270 feet in length, serving primarily for recreational purposes. With a storage capacity of 54 acre-feet, this dam has a spillway width of 15 feet and is categorized as having a low hazard potential.
Despite being State-regulated and regularly inspected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the condition assessment of Mcgraw Lake Dam is currently listed as "Not Available". The dam's risk assessment is moderate, with a risk level of 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. While emergency preparedness measures such as an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) have not been documented, the dam's overall risk management measures have not been specified either. With its location in St. Clair County and its association with the St. Louis District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Mcgraw Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study for water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the intersection of infrastructure, recreation, and environmental risk management.
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 Mcgraw Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Creek Near Freeburg | 155 cfs | → |
| Kaskaskia River At New Athens | 7,150 cfs | → |
| Richland Creek Near Hecker | 120 cfs | → |
| Kaskaskia River Near Venedy Station | 6,350 cfs | → |
| Silver Creek Near Troy | 34 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At St. Louis | 221,000 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mcgraw Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- North 1st Street 2252, Fayetteville
- Il 13 New Athens
- St Ellen Mine Trail O'Fallon
- Randolph County
- Il 111 Pontoon Beach
- Davis Street Ferry Road East Carondelet
Campgrounds
- Scott Afb Military
- Horseshoe Lake Recreation Area
- Washington County Lake State Conservation Area
- Fort Kaskaskia State Park
- Randolph County State Conservation Area
Paddle runs
Track Mcgraw 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 Mcgraw Lake Dam
Where does the data for Mcgraw 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 Mcgraw Lake Dam.