Old Plank Park Basin Dam dam
Old Plank Park Basin Dam
Old Plank Park Basin Dam, located in Naperville, Illinois, along the Steeple Run river, serves as a crucial flood risk reduction structure in DuPage County. Designed by CBBEL, this concrete dam stands at a height of 10 feet and stretches across 350 feet, providing a storage capacity of 75 acre-feet. With a normal storage capacity of 39 acre-feet and a drainage area of 1.5 square miles, the dam plays a vital role in mitigating flood risks in the area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Old Plank Park Basin Dam boasts a low hazard potential and undergoes inspections every 5 years to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 191 feet, allowing for a maximum discharge of 870 cubic feet per second. While the risk assessment for the dam is moderate, measures are in place to manage any potential risks and ensure the safety of the surrounding community.
Overall, Old Plank Park Basin Dam stands as a testament to effective flood risk reduction infrastructure in Illinois, providing essential protection against potential inundation events along the Steeple Run river. With its sturdy design, regulated maintenance, and low hazard potential, this concrete dam serves as a vital asset in safeguarding the local area from the impacts of extreme weather events and climate variability.
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 Old Plank Park Basin Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph Creek At U.S. Route 34 At Lisle | 1 cfs | → |
| West Br Du Page River Near Warrenville | 60 cfs | → |
| Spring Brook At 87th Street Near Naperville | 5 cfs | → |
| West Branch Du Page River Near Naperville | 45 cfs | → |
| Spring Bk At Forest Preserve Nr Warrenville | 12 cfs | → |
| East Branch Du Page River At Bolingbrook | 88 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Old Plank Park Basin Dam.
Boat launches
- Dupage River Trail Bolingbrook
- Dupage River Trail Naperville
- Fox River Trail Aurora
- Mcguire Parkway Lemont Township
- Fox River Trail Geneva
- North River Lane Geneva
Campgrounds
- Blackwell Youth Campground
- Camp Bullfrog Lake
- Pioneer Grove
- Camp Reinberg
- Des Plaines State Conservation Area
Fishing spots
Track Old Plank Park Basin 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 Old Plank Park Basin Dam
Where does the data for Old Plank Park Basin 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 Old Plank Park Basin Dam.