Mill Creek Dam dam
Mill Creek Dam
Mill Creek Dam, located in Mackinaw City, Michigan, serves as a vital water supply infrastructure for the surrounding area. Completed in 1984, this state-owned dam stands at a height of 11 feet and has a maximum storage capacity of 5.5 acre-feet. With a primary purpose of water supply, the dam helps regulate the flow of Mill Creek, ensuring a steady water source for the community.
Despite its satisfactory condition assessment as of November 2011, Mill Creek Dam poses a significant hazard potential, warranting regular inspections every four years. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and a moderate risk assessment score of 3. While the dam has not been modified in recent years, its importance in water resource management makes it a crucial infrastructure to monitor and maintain to prevent any potential risks or emergencies.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the significance of infrastructure like Mill Creek Dam in ensuring sustainable water management is essential. With its strategic location in Cheboygan County and its critical role in providing water supply to the region, the dam serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible dam operation and maintenance in the face of evolving climate challenges.
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 Mill Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon River At Wolverine | 409 cfs | → |
| Pigeon R At Sturgeon Valley Rd Near Vanderbilt | 110 cfs | → |
| Black River Near Garnet | 39 cfs | → |
| Jordan River Near East Jordan | 311 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mill Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- French Lake Road Wawatam Township
- Paradise Trail Carp Lake Township
- Brandau Road 9199, Munro Township
- Koepke Road Mckinley Township
- Stockbridge Street Saint Ignace
- West Huron Drive Bois Blanc Township
Campgrounds
- Cecil Lakeview City Park
- Straits State Park
- O'Neal Lake Back Country Campsite
- Wilderness State Park
- Wilderness State Park Campground
- Cheboygan State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
Track Mill Creek 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 Mill Creek Dam
Where does the data for Mill Creek 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 Significant 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 Mill Creek Dam.