Busse Woods Reservoir South Dam
Busse Woods Reservoir South Dam is an earth dam located in Cook County, Illinois, built in 1977. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Busse Woods Reservoir South Dam
The primary purpose of Busse Woods Reservoir South Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Forest Preserve District Of Cook County;illinois Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Salt Creek near Elk Grove.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 1,381 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 415 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 17,621 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 52 square miles. Completed in 1977, the structure is 49 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/17/2025.
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 | Cook |
| Nearest City | Elk Grove |
| River/Stream | Salt Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.01685, -88.00053 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,381 ft |
| Year Completed | 1977 (49 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 17,621 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 17,621 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,711 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 415 acres |
| Drainage Area | 52 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 24,272 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF COOK COUNTY;ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL01231 |
| Federal ID | IL01231 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |