Kitchin Dam dam
Kitchin Dam
Located in Ontonagon, Michigan, Kitchin Dam is a privately owned earth dam that was completed in 1973 for recreational purposes. This dam, designed by USDA NRCS, stands at a height of 7 feet and has a length of 220 feet, providing a storage capacity of 58 acre-feet. Situated on the Trib S Br Ontonagon River, Kitchin Dam plays a vital role in regulating water flow and enhancing recreational opportunities in the area.
Managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Kitchin Dam is subject to regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment, this dam poses minimal risk to the surrounding community. In the event of an emergency, appropriate risk management measures are in place to mitigate any potential threats and ensure the safety of downstream areas.
Despite its modest size and limited drainage area of 0.3 square miles, Kitchin Dam serves as a valuable asset for water resource management and climate resilience in the region. With its controlled spillway and moderate risk assessment, this dam exemplifies the importance of sustainable infrastructure development in safeguarding water resources and promoting environmental stewardship.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Kitchin Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon River Near Rockland | 840 cfs | → |
| West Branch Ontonagon River Near Bergland | 93 cfs | → |
| Bond Falls Canal Near Paulding | 91 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Ontonagon River Near Paulding | 170 cfs | → |
| Presque Isle River Near Tula | 66 cfs | → |
| Cisco Branch Ontonagon R At Cisco Lake Outlet | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kitchin Dam.
Boat launches
- Railroad Street Bergland
- Us 45 Haight Township
- M 64 Bergland Township
- Bob Lake Road Laird Township
- Fs 5350 Interior Township
- Courtney Lake Bohemia Township
Campgrounds
- Stannard Town Campground
- Bergland Town Park
- Bond Falls Flowage
- Robbins Pond Campground
- Bob Lake Campground
- Bob Lake
Fishing spots
- Rockland Pond
- Steusser Lake
- Lake Of The Clouds
- Lake Roland (Twin Lakes)
- Lake Gerald (Twin Lakes)
- Prickett Reservoir
Paddle runs
- South Branch,Confluence Of Cisco Branch And Tenmile Creek To Confluence With West Branch
- West Branch, Mi State Highway 28 To Cascade Falls
- From Wagner Lake In Sec 13, T49n, R31w To Eastern Boundary Of The Ottawa Nf In Sec 12, T48n, R35@
- Minnewawa Falls To Lake Superior
- West Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 35, T48n, R34w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- Net River Mainstem, Confluence With East/West Branches To Confluence With The Mainstem Paint River
Track Kitchin Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Kitchin Dam
Where does the data for Kitchin Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Kitchin Dam.