Rend Lake

ILLINOIS


Lake Level 403.75 FEET 1/16/2026 Full Pool: 405.0 History, Alerts, More... click here	Advertise with us

Rend Lake News

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November 2025 Water Resources Outlook

NWS Southeast River Forecast Center

Date: 11/20/2025

November 2025 review of Southeast Rivers for the past month and an outlook on factors that will impact future streamflows…

October 2025 Water Resources Outlook

NWS Southeast River Forecast Center

Date: 10/20/2025

The Southeast River Forecast Center October 2025 Water Resources Outlook. This outlook reviews recent influences on Southeast US streamflow's and provides an outlook of the coming months streamflow influences…

September 2025 Water Resources Outlook

NWS Southeast River Forecast Center

Date: 9/22/2025

The Southeast River Forecast Center September 2025 Water Resources Outlook. This outlook reviews recent influences on southeast US streamflow's and provides an outlook of the coming months streamflow influences…

What Will the Long July 4 Holiday Weekend Be Like on the Water for Boaters?

BoatUS News

Date: 6/30/2025

TowBoatUS predicts more than 2,500 requests for on-water assistance SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 30, 2025 – When NOAA, The Weather Channel and even the Farmer’s Almanac all agree this summer will be hotter than average, boaters know they will need to prepare for the heat. However, on America’s July 4…

Water Resources Outlook for September 2023

National Weather Service

Date: 9/21/2023

Southeast River Forecast Center Water Resources Outlook for September 2023 addressing flooding and drought issues across the southeast U.S…

11:28:34 PM

UPCOMING EVENTS

3/15/2026 - Daylight Saving Time Begins

11/1/2026 - Daylight Saving Time Ends

3/14/2027 - Daylight Saving Time Begins

11/7/2027 - Daylight Saving Time Ends

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• Surface Area: 18,900 Acres
• Average Depth: 10 Feet
• Maximum Depth: 35 feet

Rend Lake is a 13 miles-long, 3 miles-wide southern Illinois reservoir in Franklin and Jefferson Counties near Benton, Illinois. The lake contains 18,900 acres of water, stores 185,000 acre feet of water, and supplies over 15 million gallons of water per day to 300,000 persons in over 60 communities. The reservoir is up to 35 feet deep, but its average depth is closer to 9.7 feet. Its elevation is 405 feet 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.
The lakeshore of Rend Lake extends covers 162 miles, part of which is preserved as Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area. Swimming beaches at North Marcum and South Sandusky are managed and maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. An adjacent Illinois Artisans Shop & Visitors Center is part of the Illinois State Museum system and is operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
In 2010, Rend Lake was designated as an Important Bird Area of Illinois.

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