Van Der Molen Dam is an earth dam located in DuPage County, Illinois, built in 1984. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 8 ft8 ft tall and 940 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 Van Der Molen Dam
The primary purpose of Van Der Molen 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 Dupage County Forest Preserve District (private). It impounds the Westwood Creek near Addison.
The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 940 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 99 acre-feet. Completed in 1984, the structure is 42 years old.
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 10/24/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | DuPage |
| Nearest City | Addison |
| River/Stream | Westwood Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.91623, -88.01401 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Length | 940 ft |
| Year Completed | 1984 (42 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 99 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 99 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 571 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Dupage County Forest Preserve District |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 10/24/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL50012 |
| Federal ID | IL50012 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |