Lake Decatur

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Lake Decatur is a 2,800-acre (11 km²) artificial lake located in the city of Decatur, Illinois, east of downtown. It is 613 feet (187 meters) above sea level. The largest lake on the Sangamon River, it was created in 1920-22.

The lake was constructed as a source of water for Decatur, especially the local corn refining industry. Corn refiner A.E. Staley led the campaign to persuade Decatur to borrow the $2.0 million necessary for the project. Staley was not being altruistic; the manufacture of corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which Staley's successor firm, Tate & Lyle, and its local competitor Archer Daniels Midland carry on to this day, is a water-intensive industrial process. Lake Decatur water is also used in the process of refining corn into ethanol.

As the largest artificial lake in Illinois at the time of construction, with a 30-mile (48-km) shoreline, Lake Decatur quickly became a focus of local recreation. The invention of the gasoline-powered speedboat had made sheltered reservoir waters attractive to many inland Americans. Lake Decatur has a watershed of 925 square miles, spanning 7 counties(592,000 acres).

However, in the years since its completion in 1922, the aging Lake Decatur has suffered from extensive siltation problems. It was designed to sit atop relatively flat prairie land, and is vulnerable to deposits of silt eroded from farm fields in the 925-mile² (2,300 km²) upper Sangamon River drainage area. From 1923 through 1983, Lake Decatur lost an estimated 35% of its designed storage volume. Although this trend has since been slowed by ongoing dredging, as of 2004 Lake Decatur was described as having an average depth of only 8 feet (2.4 m). However, dredge operations are ongoing in Basin 6(north of Rea's Bridge Rd), and every month the lake's capacity comes closer to what it was when the lake was impounded.

Lake Decatur borders two of Decatur's largest parks, Faries Park and Nelson Park, as well as the Scovill Zoo. The Decatur Park District was founded in 1924 to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the creation of the lake.

Lake Decatur can be seen from U.S. Highway 36, which crosses the lake on a causeway bridge located on Decatur's southeast side. US Route 51 also crosses the lake on the south side of the city.

City registration is required on the lake, however day passes can be purchased in the Lake Patrol office in Nelson Park. Lake Patrol can also provide maps to the lake, along with rules information and fishing regulations. There are 5 public boat ramps located in Nelson Park, Fairies Park, at the Sportsman's Club, on Lost Bridge and Country Club Roads.