Dresden Cooling Lake Dam
Dresden Cooling Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Grundy County, Illinois, built in 1971. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Dresden Cooling Lake Dam
Dresden Cooling Lake Dam is a dam in Grundy, Illinois. The dam is private-owned. It impounds the Kankakee River-offstream near Morris.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 44,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,275 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,590 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1971, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/05/2025.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Illinois dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Grundy |
| Nearest City | Morris |
| River/Stream | Kankakee River-offstream |
| Coordinates | 41.36574, -88.25827 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 44,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1971 (55 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 14,590 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 14,590 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 8,190 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,275 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,755 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 06/05/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00439 |
| Federal ID | IL00439 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |