Touhy Avenue Reservoir Dam is a concrete dam located in Cook County, Illinois, built in 2004. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 50 ft long. 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 Touhy Avenue Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Touhy Avenue Reservoir 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 Chicago/metropolitan Water Reclamation District (local government). It impounds the Higgins Creek near Chicago.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 50 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 740 acre-feet. Completed in 2004, the structure is relatively new.
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 12/12/2025.
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Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| Nearest City | Chicago |
| River/Stream | Higgins Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.00887, -87.92548 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 50 ft |
| Year Completed | 2004 (22 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 740 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 740 acre-ft |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Chicago/metropolitan Water Reclamation District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/12/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL55104 |
| Federal ID | IL55104 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |