Brandon Road Lock and Dam is a concrete dam located in Will County, Illinois, built in 1933. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 45 ft45 ft tall and 14,250 ft long, taller than 90% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Brandon Road Lock and Dam
The primary purpose of Brandon Road Lock and Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by USACE - Rock Island District (federal). It impounds the Des Plaines near Joliet.
The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 14,250 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,506 square miles. Completed in 1933, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 11/02/2020.
At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.
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 | Joliet |
| River/Stream | Des Plaines |
| Coordinates | 41.50320, -88.10290 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Length | 14,250 ft |
| Year Completed | 1933 (93 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,500 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 1,506 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 36,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Rock Island District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/02/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00001 |
| Federal ID | IL00001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |