Silver Lake Dam is an earth dam located in McHenry County, Illinois, built in 1929. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 23 ft23 ft tall and 170 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Silver Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Silver Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Village of Oakwood Hills (private). It impounds the Trib Fox River near Silver Lake.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 170 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 580 acre-feet. Completed in 1929, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 10/03/2025.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | McHenry |
| Nearest City | Silver Lake |
| River/Stream | Trib Fox River |
| Coordinates | 42.24613, -88.24752 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 170 ft |
| Year Completed | 1929 (97 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 580 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 580 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 364 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Village of Oakwood Hills |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 10/03/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL00584 |
| Federal ID | IL00584 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |