Saturday, January 17, 2015

(Photos) Dam Number 4 on the Des Plaines River in winter

Dams Number One and Two have been removed from the Des Plaines River. Three and Four are next.

Here are a couple of pictures of Dam Number 4, which is scheduled to be removed this winter.


Both of these photos were taken two days ago from the east bank of the river in Rosemont.


This is a low-head dam, which present drowning dangers for canoeists. After the water rolls over the seeming harmless dam a hydraulic boil develops, which is why low-heads are dubbed "drowning machines." The actions of the boil have prevented freezing--whereas most of the Des Plaines is presently frozen over.

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1 comment:

joetote said...

So many memories here. Back in the early 60's I would hike along the Chicago River all the way from River Park on Foster Ave (where if I remember right there was a small dam there also to Lebeau Woods Forest Preserve (I think that's what it is called) up at around Foster and Cicero

Thanks for the flashback