Lake Charles Dam dam
Lake Charles Dam
Lake Charles Dam, located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, is a concrete structure completed in 1962 with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. Situated on the Seavey Drainage Ditch, this dam has a height of 9 feet and a length of 390 feet, providing a normal storage capacity of 111 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 494 acre-feet. With a surface area of 24 acres and a drainage area of 4.9 square miles, the dam has a spillway width of 50 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 4800 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the local government, Lake Charles Dam is regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and undergoes regular inspections with a high hazard potential rating. While the condition assessment is currently not available, the dam meets emergency action plan guidelines and has emergency contact information in place. Despite the moderate risk assessment score of 3, the dam has not been modified in recent years and does not have outlet gates or associated structures.
Overall, Lake Charles Dam serves as a vital infrastructure for flood risk reduction in the area, providing both recreational opportunities and critical water resource management. As a key component of the Seavey Drainage Ditch system, this dam plays a crucial role in protecting the surrounding communities from potential flooding events. With its sturdy concrete construction and regulatory oversight, Lake Charles Dam stands as a testament to effective water resource and climate management in Illinois.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Lake Charles Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines River Near Gurnee | 99 cfs | → |
| Skokie River At Lake Forest | 7 cfs | → |
| Buffalo Creek Near Wheeling | 6 cfs | → |
| North Branch Chicago River At Deerfield | 6 cfs | → |
| Wf Of Nb Chicago River At Northbrook Il | 6 cfs | → |
| Skokie River Near Highland Park | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Charles Dam.
Boat launches
- Canoe/Kayak Ramp Vernon Hills
- Des Plaines River Trail Mettawa
- Des Plaines River Trail Libertyville
- North Sears Boulevard 33435, Grayslake
- Lower South Beach Parking Area Lake Forest
- North Alleghany Road 116, Grayslake
Campgrounds
- Camp Reinberg
- Fourth Lake Resort Campsite
- The Hollows Conservation Area Campground
- Mud Lake West
- North Branch Conservation Area (Cyclists Only)
- Camp Lakota - A Boyscouts Of America Camp
Fishing spots
Track Lake Charles Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Lake Charles Dam
Where does the data for Lake Charles Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lake Charles Dam.