Sleepy Hollow Road Dam dam
Sleepy Hollow Road Dam
Located in West Dundee, Illinois, the Sleepy Hollow Road Dam, also known as Raceway Woods Dam, is a local government-owned structure regulating the flow of Shaw Creek. With a primary purpose of recreation, this earth dam stands at 9 feet in height and stretches 100 feet in length, providing a surface area of 24.2 acres for outdoor activities. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam has a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, emphasizing the importance of regular inspections and maintenance.
Managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Sleepy Hollow Road Dam is state-regulated and subject to inspection, permitting, and enforcement requirements. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 35 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 120 cubic feet per second. While the dam's condition assessment is currently listed as "Not Available," its last inspection in September 2014 deemed it to have a low risk level. With a drainage area of 0.8 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Sleepy Hollow Road Dam offers a unique blend of recreational opportunities and environmental stewardship. With its serene location along Shaw Creek and its role in flood control and water management, this earth dam serves as a vital piece of infrastructure in Kane County, Illinois. As efforts to assess and mitigate risks associated with dams continue, the Sleepy Hollow Road Dam stands as a testament to the importance of balancing human recreation with the protection of natural resources.
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 Sleepy Hollow Road Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Fox River At Algonquin (Tailwater) | 987 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Algonquin | 725 cfs | → |
| Tyler Creek At Elgin | 16 cfs | → |
| Poplar Creek At Elgin | 7 cfs | → |
| Fox River At South Elgin | 1,140 cfs | → |
| Ferson Creek Near St. Charles | 26 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sleepy Hollow Road Dam.
Boat launches
- Fox River Trail Carpentersville
- Washington Street Carpentersville
- Airport Road 50, Elgin
- Fox River Trail East Dundee
- Hilltop Drive 145, Lake In The Hills
- Fox River Trail Elgin
Campgrounds
- The Hollows Conservation Area Campground
- Camp Reinberg
- Camp Lakota - A Boyscouts Of America Camp
- Blackwell Youth Campground
- Mud Lake West
- Fourth Lake Resort Campsite
Fishing spots
Track Sleepy Hollow Road 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 Sleepy Hollow Road Dam
Where does the data for Sleepy Hollow Road 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 Sleepy Hollow Road Dam.