Brentwood Townehome Dam is an earth dam located in Cook County, Illinois, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 14 ft14 ft tall and 190 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 Brentwood Townehome Dam
The primary purpose of Brentwood Townehome 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 Brentwood Townhome Owners Association (private). It impounds the Trib Baker Lake near Barrington.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 190 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 1 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 05/02/2023.
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.
Location
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| Nearest City | Barrington |
| River/Stream | Trib Baker Lake |
| Coordinates | 42.12983, -88.12659 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 190 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 6 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 11 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 164 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Brentwood Townhome Owners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IL55180 |
| Federal ID | IL55180 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |