Rend Lake was built as a joint project by the Illinois Department of Conservancy District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This 18,900 acre reservoir was built to provide a dependable domestic water supply to a two-county area beginning in 1965. Construction of the $60 million project took 5 years to complete with the final filling of the lake in the early 1970's. Since that time, many improvements have been made resulting in the current quality facilities that are currently available. Then Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area was developed to provide public hunting, and other recreational opportunities.

Rend Lake Demographics