Colette Highlands Dam dam
Colette Highlands Dam
Colette Highlands Dam, located in Orland Park, Illinois, is a vital piece of infrastructure designed by Edmund M Burke Engineering for flood risk reduction along the Trib Marley Creek. This earth dam stands at a height of 10 feet and spans 500 feet, providing a storage capacity of 84 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is regulated and inspected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to ensure its structural integrity and functionality.
The dam, owned by the local government, serves as a crucial asset in managing water resources and mitigating flooding in the area. While its primary purpose is flood risk reduction, the dam also plays a role in controlling water flow and protecting downstream communities from potential inundation. With a moderate risk assessment rating and regular inspections, Colette Highlands Dam remains a key component in the region's water resource management strategy.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the significance of infrastructure like Colette Highlands Dam is essential in safeguarding communities and ecosystems against the impacts of extreme weather events. By recognizing the role of dams in flood control and water management, we can work towards sustainable solutions that promote resilience and adaptation in the face of a changing climate.
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 Colette Highlands Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tinley Creek Near Palos Park | 1 cfs | → |
| Long Run Near Lemont | 6 cfs | → |
| Midlothian Creek At Oak Forest | 1 cfs | → |
| Sawmill Creek Near Lemont | 2 cfs | → |
| Flag Creek Near Willow Springs | 16 cfs | → |
| Hickory Creek At Joliet | 50 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Colette Highlands Dam.
Boat launches
- 107th Street Palos Township
- Mcguire Parkway Lemont Township
- Tri-State Tollway Justice
- South Halsted Street Riverdale
- Dupage River Trail Bolingbrook
- Fairbank Road Riverside
Campgrounds
- Pioneer Grove
- Camp Bullfrog Lake
- Camp Shabbona Woods
- Blackwell Youth Campground
- Des Plaines State Conservation Area
- Desplaines Conservational Park
Fishing spots
Track Colette Highlands 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 Colette Highlands Dam
Where does the data for Colette Highlands 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 Colette Highlands Dam.