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.
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Rend Lake today contains 18,900 acres (76 km&
2) 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 western 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.
