Millinocket Lake dam
Millinocket Lake
Millinocket Lake, located in Millinocket, Maine, is a captivating hydroelectric reservoir that serves multiple purposes, including fish and wildlife conservation, flood risk reduction, navigation, recreation, and water supply. Built in 1910, the dam stands at a height of 20 feet and has a length of 635 feet, with a storage capacity of 45,370 acre-feet and a surface area of 8,640 acres. The controlled spillway, with a width of 160 feet, helps manage water discharge up to 7,000 cubic feet per second, making it a crucial component of the local water resource infrastructure.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Millinocket Lake poses a high hazard potential due to its very high risk assessment rating. Despite the lack of available condition assessment data, the dam is inspected annually, with the last inspection conducted in September 2020. The emergency action plan, last revised in August 2016, ensures preparedness for any potential risks or incidents. With five slide gates serving as outlet gates, the dam exemplifies a significant engineering feat in water resource management, showcasing a blend of concrete, earth, and gravity dam types.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Millinocket Lake offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of hydroelectric power generation, conservation efforts, and risk management in a picturesque natural setting. The dam's historical significance, coupled with its vital role in sustaining various ecosystems and recreational activities, underscores the importance of responsible water resource management and infrastructure maintenance. As the debate around sustainable energy sources and environmental conservation continues to evolve, Millinocket Lake stands as a testament to the intricate balance between human development and ecological preservation in the context of water resources and climate resilience.
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 Millinocket Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| East Branch Penobscot River At Grindstone | 3,130 cfs | → |
| Mattawamkeag River Near Mattawamkeag | 3,650 cfs | → |
| Seboeis River Near Shin Pond | 492 cfs | → |
| Piscataquis River At Medford | 2,970 cfs | → |
| Penobscot River At West Enfield | 17,100 cfs | → |
| Meduxnekeag R Above S Br Medux. R Nr Houlton | 170 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Millinocket Lake .
Boat launches
- Fredericka's Way Maine
- Golden Road Maine
- Mike Michaud Trail Millinocket
- Trail Penobscot County
- Medway Road Millinocket
- Landing Road Penobscot County
Paddle runs
- Hay Brook To Bridge Above Medway At State Route 157
- Ambajejus Falls To The End Of North And South Twin Lakes
- Headwaters To Confluence With West Branch Penobscot River
- Headwaters To Confluence With Penobscot River, East Branch
- Bowlin Camps To Hay Brook
- Grand Lake Matagamon To Bowlin Camps
Track Millinocket 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 Millinocket Lake
Where does the data for Millinocket 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 High 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 Millinocket Lake .