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Fox River Stratton Operations Status Update
William G. Stratton-Thomas A. Bolger Lock and Dam
Algonquin Dam
IDNR 2026 Operating Schedule for Stratton Lock
MCHENRY, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) operating schedule for the William G. Stratton-Thomas A. Bolger Lock and Dam facility on the Fox River in McHenry County, opens for the 2026 season on Friday, May 1.
Normal operating hours will be seven days per week from 8:00 a.m. until midnight during the months of May through September, and 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for the month of October.
The Stratton-Bolger facility is closed for the winter season each year from November 1 through April 30.
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Fox River Update 10/02/2026
To view the full update, click the hyperlink above
*This Update is based on the current forecast and will be adjusted based on future forecasts and rainfall.
SUMMARY
This update is being released due to the changes in the forecasted inflows. There is currently no rain forecasted for the system over the next 7 Days. Inflows are forecasted to peak on Sunday at 3300 cfs (Figure 1). Fox Lake is currently forecasted to peak at 4.96’ on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and the Upper River at 4.77’ during the same time (Figure 2). The Lower River is forecasted to peak near 3.57’ on Wednesday of next week (Figure 3).
