Kimball Street Dam is a rockfill dam located in Kane County, Illinois, built in 1884. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 13 ft13 ft tall and 325 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Kimball Street Dam
The primary purpose of Kimball Street 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 City of Elgin (local government). It impounds the Fox River near Elgin.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 325 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 314 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,303 acre-feet. Completed in 1884, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/17/2024.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Kane |
| Nearest City | Elgin |
| River/Stream | Fox River |
| Coordinates | 42.04123, -88.28938 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 325 ft |
| Year Completed | 1884 (142 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,303 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,303 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 314 acres |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | City of Elgin |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL55024 |
| Federal ID | IL55024 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |