With the frequent flooding of the
Kaskaskia River, citizens of Clinton County formed an organization in 1933 to discuss the Kaskaskia River Valley Project. This group made efforts to study all of the physical, economic, and social aspects of the Kaskaskia River throughout the state of Illinois. After completing this report the possibilities of Carlyle Lake were discussed. In 1938, Congress approved the Flood Control Act of June 28, 1938, which authorized a major reservoir at Carlyle, levees downstream, and a plan for the development of the Kaskaskia Basin, but World War II put a temporary halt to the construction of the Carlyle reservoir. Shortly after settling in
Carlyle, Eldon E. Hazlet became interested in the Kaskaskia River and points along the banks. Full of enthusiasm, Hazlet formed the Kaskaskia Valley Association (KVA) to sell the Kaskaskia River Project to the general public. In 1957, the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a comprehensive plan for the Kaskaskia River Project and the Carlyle and
Shelbyville Reservoir Projects were authorized in Congress by the Flood Control Act of July 3, 1958. Construction of Carlyle Lake began October 18, 1958. The government purchased 25,000 acres for the lake, in addition to land surrounding the lake for flowage easement. Homesteads were moved, along with country roads and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. Tracks containing five bridges span the water between Keyesport and Boulder, dividing the upper and lower parts of the lake. The rights to 69 oil wells were purchased, and the wells were plugged to prevent pollution in the lake. Over 600 burial sites had to be moved from seven cemeteries. Other shoreline cemeteries had to be moved to higher ground. The Carlyle Lake project was completed in April 1967 and the Carlyle Lake Dam was dedicated on June 3, 1967. The damming of the Kaskaskia River at Carlyle is 107 miles from the mouth of the river and creates the largest man-made lake in Illinois. ==Today==