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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 9/22/2026
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 changes in the forecast. There is currently near 0.1” of rain forecasted for the system over the next 7 Days, (Figure 4). Inflows are forecasted to peak tomorrow at 4200 cfs (Figure 1). Fox Lake is currently forecasted to peak at 5.33’ and the Upper River at 5.24’ on Friday (Figure 2). The Lower River is forecasted to peak on Friday at 4.24’ (Figure 3).
