Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Food trucks, people, game players, and others all celebrated the biggest man-made lake around.  Monday, the city held a birthday party celebrating the 90th birthday of Lake Springfield.

The birthday was actually May 2, marking the point when water started pouring over a dam — meaning, the lake was at full capacity.

You’ll forgive City Water, Light, and Power for holding the party a month late.  Because, at one point, there might not have had a reason to celebrate.

“Like anything in city government, hard things bring challenges and controversy,” said Amber Sabin, CWLP spokesperson.  “(The lake) was supposed to take eight months to fill, and the great Dust Bowl (of 1930) occurred.  So, it took eighteen months to fill.  They were calling the lake “(First CWLP commissioner Willis) Spaulding’s Folly, because it was a joke.”

Tunes were changed when the lake finally did fill, and it was officially born.  Once it did fill, Lake Springfield was a success almost right away, and not just because of the water supply.

“It was to be the water supply, but it was also for power generation and also recreation.  A lot of people small cottages or summer homes around the lake.  It’s also good for fishing and all kinds of other activities.

Activities could grow exponentially if the city’s long-standing goal of building another lake for a back-up water supply could take place. But, Sabin says, don’t expect that to happen any time soon.

“It’s pretty much on hold over disagreements from what the U.S. Army Corps (of Engineers) wants to require for what’s called stream mitigation,” said Sabin.  “Right now, with the projects we have, and wanting to get to do lead service line replacement, and get to where we can dredge the Lake Springfield again, I think it will be on hold until we can get through those challenges.”

Sabin says in the meantime, other work is also ongoing, including remodeling the lake’s Beach House, so it can be an even better event destination.

Nevertheless, Lake Springfield has become a model for other similar lakes in the area, including in the Bloomington area.