Rend Lake

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Rend Lake
Location	Franklin County, Illinois
Coordinates	38°2′12.18″N, 88°58′0.25″WCoordinates: 38°2′12.18″N, 88°58′0.25″W
Lake type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Big Muddy River Casey Creek
Primary outflows	Big Muddy River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	13 miles (20.9 km)
Max. width	3 miles (4.8 km)
Surface area	18,900 acres (76.5 km²)
Average depth	9.7 feet (3.0 m)
Max. depth	35 feet (10.7 m)
Shore length¹	162 miles (260.7 km)
Surface elevation	405 feet (123.4 m)
Settlements	Benton, Illinois Sesser, Illinois
¹ Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Rend Lake is an artificial Southern Illinois lake in Franklin and Jefferson Counties near Benton, Illinois. Its elevation is 403 feet (123 m) above sea level.

Rend Lake is a reservoir, created when the United States Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Big Muddy River. The dam and lake were authorized in 1962, but the lake was not completely filled until March 1973.[1]

Rend Lake today contains 18,900 acres (76 km²) of water and supplies over 15 million gallons of water per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities. Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area occupies part of the eastern lakeshore. The nearby Illinois Artisans Shop & Visitors Center is part of the Illinois State Museum system and is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Swimming beaches at North Marcum and South Sandusky are managed and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers.