Braidwood Station Cooling Pond Dam
Braidwood Station Cooling Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Will County, Illinois, built in 1979. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Braidwood Station Cooling Pond Dam
Braidwood Station Cooling Pond Dam is a dam in Will, Illinois. The dam is owned by Exelon Generation Company, Llc (private). It impounds the Kankakee River - Offstream near Wilmington.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 54,080 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2,475 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 35,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1979, the structure is 47 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 05/06/2025.
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 | Will |
| Nearest City | Wilmington |
| River/Stream | Kankakee River - Offstream |
| Coordinates | 41.20229, -88.24301 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 54,080 ft |
| Year Completed | 1979 (47 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 35,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 35,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2,475 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,559 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | EXELON GENERATION COMPANY, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 05/06/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01169 |
| Federal ID | IL01169 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |