Vermilion River near Oglesby, IL.

The Vermilion River in LaSalle County, Illinois runs through property owned by Lone Star Industries, Inc., doing business as Buzzi Unicem USA ("LSI"). Limestone is quarried for use as a raw material in the production of cement on site. Water is used in this process and a low head dam (Cement Plant Dam) at river mile 4.75, in the river at their facility, is used to ensure low flow water supply volume in the river. The river from mile 2.7 to 10.5 is frequently used by boaters because of the unique whitewater nature of the river. The dam at LSI has a notch in the right 20 feet that allows for boat passage over the top of the dam without encountering the reverse currents at the base of the dam. This notch also allows the unrestricted movement of fish in the river. In June 2009 a drowning occurred at the dam after a boater was thrown out of their raft. Shortly thereafter, LSI closed the river along their property to the public from river mile 4.0 to 6.7. This action effectively closed the river from mile 2.7 to 10.5 because there are no other accessible locations to put in or take out boats along this stretch of river. To restore public access to this section of the Vermilion River, LSI leased their portion of the river to the State in return for the completion of public safety upgrades to the dam and liability assumption.

Glen D. Palmer (Yorkville) Dam and Marge Kline Whitewater Bypass Channel at Yorkville, IL

The Yorkville Dam has completed stepped spillway modifications and The new Marge Cline Whitewater Course at Yorkville is now open to the public free of charge. A Phase 3 pedestrian bridge will begin construction across the whitewater course later this year.

Renovation of the Glen D. Palmer (Yorkville) Dam was implemented to reduce public safety hazards at the dam, provide the opportunity for fish passage, and provide safe canoe and kayak boat passage through the dam with opportunities for white water boating recreation.

Initial attempts to reduce the dangerous scour roller effect that had developed at the dam were attempted in the 1970's with some success. Further attempts and studies resulted in the modification of the Dam in 2011.

To improve the ecological integrity of the dam site and fishing on the Fox River, the Yorkville Dam modification bypass is intended to encourage migration of local fish species by providing fish passage near both abutments of the dam via a Denil fish ladder and the bypass channel. This Denil is the first of its kind in the mid-west.

Large boulders and planted riprap along the perimeter of chutes and pools were included in the bypass design along with space between pool bottom boulders to replicate a natural channel and provide cover and protection to juvenile fish during higher flow conditions.

The bypass channel includes two whitewater challenge routes adjacent to the principal boat passage route with 7 chute or riffle sections and 7 pools and a continuous paved portage trail designed for experienced and novice paddle boaters. The channel's standing waves, drop and eddy channel features are characteristic of a Class 3 whitewater channel, with a safe slope for novice paddle boaters.

Members of the Illinois Paddling Council (IPC) and the Chicago Whitewater Association assisted the Department during construction and testing to share observations, and to identify potential whitewater boating hazards and concerns.

IDNR and the United City of Yorkville are continuing to work with the USGS to install a permanent USGS gage at the site to monitor river stages above and below the dam, and in the bypass channel.

The DNR Office of Water Resources and Teng & Associates (now ESP, Inc.) received the Illinois ACEC Illinois Engineering Excellence Honor Award and the prestigious Grand Award in the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) 2012 Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) for the project "Yorkville Dam Safety Improvements & Bypass Channel". Teng & Associates was IDNR's principal consulting design engineer for the project.

Armitage and Fairbanks Dams

The low head Armitage and Fairbanks Dams on the Des Plaines River have been removed for ecosystem improvements and safety considerations. The low head Hofmann Dam is being removed due to ecosystem improvements, safety considerations and includes restoration of Swan Pond Park in Riverside for ecosystem improvements.

Danville & Ellsworth Park Dam Modification Projects, Danville, IL.

The Office of Water Resources is currently investigating alternatives to improve public safety, ecology and recreation at the Danville and Ellsworth Park Dams. Due to the hydraulic conditions of the dams and that no riverbed protection was placed below the dam upon construction, a submerged hydraulic roller occurs. Over time the turbulent forces generated by a hydraulic roller, has eroded a scour hole in the original bed material at the base of the dam. The tailwater submerges the hydraulic jump creating the submerged hydraulic roller. These rollers typically pull in and hold objects, including people which often leads to emergency rescues or drownings. There has been 4 reported losses of lives at the dams since 1995. The Office of Water Resources is actively compiling a report to present to the Danville City Council for their approval of the dam modification projects. If a approval is given, the development of construction permits, plans and specifications will commence.

Blackberry Dam Modification Project, Yorkville, IL.

The Blackberry Creek dam currently fragments Blackberry Creek and the Fox River by creating a barrier that denies fish and other aquatic organisms, including threatened species, access to quality habitat upstream of the dam. The dam currently blocks Fox River fish and microinvertebrates access to 32 miles of spawning and rearing habitat in Blackberry Creek that would provide increased fitness, distribution, and diversity of fish and microinvertebrates in Blackberry Creek and the Fox River. The west abutment of the dam has developed a large diagonal crack that has allowed movement of this abutment such that failure of the dam abutment is imminent potentially resulting in a massive headcutting and uncontrolled release of large quantities of sediment into Blackberry Creek and the Fox River, and the potential loss of a public bridge immediately downstream of the dam. The Office of Water Resources is actively constructing Phase 1 of the project which includes wetland mitigation and construction access roads. The phase 2 plans are currently under development and will include the main channel sediment excavation, stabilization and dam removal.

Evaluation of Public Safety at Run-of-River Dams, July 2007, Executive Summary PDF (848 Kb)

Evaluation of Public Safety at Run-of-River Dams, July 2007, Main Report PDF (18.05 Mb)

Evaluation of Public Safety at Run-of-River Dams, July 2007, Main Report PDF (18.05 Mb)

Evaluation of Public Safety at Run-of-River Dams, July 2007, Main Report PDF (18.05 Mb)

Check out our poster here.

July 20, 2007 Press Release here -

The brochure can be acquired on our online publications site (on the right-side column, the link that reads "new" click on that and it will take you to all our publications). Do a search of "Dam Safety" - this is a free brochure.