Kimball Street Dam dam
Kimball Street Dam
Kimball Street Dam, located on the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois, was completed in 1884 and serves a primary purpose of navigation. With a dam height of 13 feet and a length of 325 feet, it plays a significant role in regulating water levels and flow along the river. The dam is owned by the local government and is regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and functionality.
The dam's rockfill structure with a buttress core type provides stability and control over the river's water supply. It has a storage capacity of 1303 acre-feet and a surface area of 314 acres. Despite being classified as having a significant hazard potential, the dam is regularly inspected, with the last inspection taking place in September 2018. The risk assessment for Kimball Street Dam is moderate, with measures in place to manage potential risks and ensure public safety in case of emergencies.
Overall, Kimball Street Dam is a vital structure for water resource management and navigation along the Fox River. Its historical significance, coupled with its functional design and regulatory oversight, highlights its importance in maintaining water supply and flow control in the region. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the dam represents a key piece of infrastructure that plays a crucial role in balancing the needs of various stakeholders along the river.
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 Kimball Street Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Creek At Elgin | 18 cfs | → |
| Poplar Creek At Elgin | 6 cfs | → |
| Fox River At South Elgin | 1,040 cfs | → |
| Ferson Creek Near St. Charles | 29 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Algonquin (Tailwater) | 810 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Algonquin | 725 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kimball Street Dam.
Boat launches
- Fox River Trail Elgin
- Fox River Trail East Dundee
- Airport Road 50, Elgin
- Washington Street Carpentersville
- River Bend Trail Kane County
- Fox River Trail Carpentersville
Campgrounds
- The Hollows Conservation Area Campground
- Camp Reinberg
- Blackwell Youth Campground
- Camp Lakota - A Boyscouts Of America Camp
- Fourth Lake Resort Campsite
- Mud Lake West
Fishing spots
Track Kimball Street 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 Kimball Street Dam
Where does the data for Kimball Street 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 Significant 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 Kimball Street Dam.