Fall Lake dam
Fall Lake
Fall Lake, located in Winton, Minnesota, is a captivating water resource managed by the Superior National Forest. This rockfill dam, completed in 1989, serves primarily for recreation purposes but also supports navigation. With a height of 12 feet and a storage capacity of 17,000 acre-feet, Fall Lake covers a surface area of 2,173 acres and drains a watershed area of 1,353 acres through the Kawishiwi River.
The dam's spillway, with a width of 245 feet, is uncontrolled and has a low hazard potential. Despite being in a moderate risk area, Fall Lake has not been rated for its condition assessment. The dam is owned, funded, designed, constructed, regulated, inspected, and operated by the Forest Service, ensuring comprehensive oversight and compliance with state regulations. Water enthusiasts and climate advocates will be intrigued by Fall Lake's role in providing recreational opportunities while maintaining environmental integrity and safety.
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 Fall Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Basswood River Near Winton | 6,330 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi River Near Ely | 1,330 cfs | → |
| Kawishiwi River Near Ely | 922 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi R Abv White Iron Lake Nr Ely | 1,650 cfs | → |
| Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake | 1,070 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Fall Lake.
Boat launches
- Fernberg Road Lake County
- Summer Home Road Lake County
- Ojibway Lake Road Lake County
- Shagawa Road West Ely
- Nels Lake Road Saint Louis County
- Echo Trail Saint Louis County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Wolf Bay Of Lake Vermilion To Section 26, T65n, R17w
- Bwcaw Boundary To Confluence With Plouff Creek
- Section 26, T65n, R17w To Section 31, T66n, R17w
- Section 31, T66n, R17w To Crane Lake
- North Temperance Lake In T63n, R4w To Bwcaw Boundary In T62n, R4w
- Confluence With Plouff Creek To Lake Superior In T59n, R4w
More reservoirs
Track Fall Lake 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 Fall Lake
Where does the data for Fall Lake 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 Fall Lake.