Lyle Avenue Dam dam
Lyle Avenue Dam
The Lyle Avenue Dam, also known as the Valley Creek Detention Pond, is a privately owned structure located in Kane County, Illinois, specifically in the city of Streamwood. Completed in 1997, this earthen dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Tyler Creek. With a height of 8 feet and a length of 574 feet, the dam has a maximum storage capacity of 65 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 2300 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Lyle Avenue Dam has a low hazard potential and is inspected every 5 years to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 40 feet and is designed with buttress core types. While the condition assessment is currently listed as "Not Available", the risk assessment for this structure is moderate, indicating the need for ongoing monitoring and potential risk management measures in the future.
Overall, the Lyle Avenue Dam plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the area and protecting the surrounding community from potential water-related disasters. Climate and water resource enthusiasts can appreciate the engineering and regulatory aspects of this dam, as well as the collaboration between private owners and state agencies to ensure the safety and effectiveness of this important infrastructure.
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 Lyle Avenue Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Creek At Elgin | 19 cfs | → |
| Poplar Creek At Elgin | 9 cfs | → |
| Fox River At South Elgin | 1,060 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Algonquin (Tailwater) | 784 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Algonquin | 725 cfs | → |
| Ferson Creek Near St. Charles | 31 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lyle Avenue Dam.
Boat launches
- Fox River Trail Elgin
- Fox River Trail East Dundee
- Airport Road 50, Elgin
- Washington Street Carpentersville
- Fox River Trail Carpentersville
- River Bend Trail Kane County
Campgrounds
- The Hollows Conservation Area Campground
- Camp Reinberg
- Blackwell Youth Campground
- Camp Lakota - A Boyscouts Of America Camp
- Mud Lake West
- Fourth Lake Resort Campsite
Fishing spots
Track Lyle Avenue 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 Lyle Avenue Dam
Where does the data for Lyle Avenue 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 Low 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 Lyle Avenue Dam.