Lake Decatur

Lake Decatur
Location of Lake Decatur in Illinois, USA.
Location of Lake Decatur in Illinois, USA.
Lake Decatur
Location within Illinois
Location of Lake Decatur in Illinois, USA.
Location of Lake Decatur in Illinois, USA.
Lake Decatur
Location within the United States
LocationDecatur, Illinois
Coordinates39°49′N 88°56′W / 39.817°N 88.933°W / 39.817; -88.933
Lake typeReservoir
north Upper Sangamon watershed
Sangamon River
925 sq mi (2,396 km2)
Basin countriesUnited States
4.2 sq mi (11 km2)
Average depth
7.9 ft (2.4 m)
21,000 acre⋅ft (0.026 km3)
Shore length1
30 mi (48 km) (1922)
Surface elevation
613 ft (187 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Decatur is a 2,800-acre (11 km2) reservoir located in the city of Decatur, Illinois, USA, east of downtown. The city and lake both share the name of U.S. Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur. The lake is 613 feet (187 m) above sea level and has a watershed of 925 square miles (2,400 km2) or 592,000 acres (240,000 ha) reaching into parts of seven counties. The largest lake on the Sangamon River, it was created in 1920–1922.