Bethany Road Detention Pond Dam

Bethany Road Detention Pond Dam is an earth dam located in DeKalb County, Illinois. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Bethany Road Detention Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Bethany Road Detention Pond 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 City Of Sycamore (local government). It impounds the Trib E.br. S.br. Kishwaukee R near Sycamore.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 3,105 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 260 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.

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 04/16/2025.

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.

High HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateIllinois
CountyDeKalb
Nearest CitySycamore
River/StreamTrib E.br. S.br. Kishwaukee R
Coordinates41.96558, -88.68948

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height11 ft
Dam Height11 ft
Dam Length3,105 ft

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage260 acre-ft
Max Storage260 acre-ft
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge1,610 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerCITY OF SYCAMORE
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection04/16/2025
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDIL50470
Federal IDIL50470
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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