Minnie Lake Dam dam
Minnie Lake Dam
Minnie Lake Dam, located in Hesperia, Michigan, is a Federal-owned structure managed by the Forest Service for recreational purposes, such as fish and wildlife pond management. Built in 1939, this earth-type dam stands at 8 feet high with a hydraulic height of 10 feet and a structural height of 13 feet. The dam creates a storage capacity of 264 acre-feet with a normal storage of 69 acre-feet and a surface area of 28 acres.
Situated on Mena Creek, the dam has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition as of yet. Despite being inspected last in 2013, the dam meets state regulations and is regularly inspected by the regulatory agency. The spillway, which is uncontrolled, has a width of 20 feet and can handle a maximum discharge of 1132 cubic feet per second.
Overall, Minnie Lake Dam provides essential water resource management and recreational opportunities in the Newaygo County area. Its moderate risk assessment and Federal ownership highlight the importance of maintaining and monitoring this vital infrastructure for the benefit of both the environment and the local community.
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 Minnie Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Muskegon River Near Croton | 2,050 cfs | → |
| White River Near Whitehall | 501 cfs | → |
| Little Muskegon River Near Oak Grove | 238 cfs | → |
| Bear Creek Near Muskegon | 15 cfs | → |
| Pere Marquette River At Scottville | 795 cfs | → |
| Muskegon River At Evart | 1,510 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Minnie Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Nfs 6902 Merrill Township
- Nagek Drive Merrill Township
- Nfs 5140-A Merrill Township
- Nfs 5536 Lilley Township
- Peskin Drive Newfield Township
- Ramshorn Drive Fremont
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
- St. Hubert Angler Parking
- Idlewild Lake
- Blanch Lake
- Fishing Peir
- Log Mark Rest Stop Canoe And Fishing Landing
- Baptist Lake
Paddle runs
- South Branch From Forest Boundary East Of Hesperia At West Section Line Of Sec 22, T14n, R14w To Echo Drive In Sec 6, T13n, R12w
- Croton Dam In T12n, R11w To City Of Newaygo In T12n, R12w
- North Branch From Its Confluence With South Branch In Sec 22, T13n, R16 W To Mclaren Lake In Sec 11, T14n, R15w
- Morley Dam In T13n, R10w To Croton Dam Pond In T12n, R11w
- Mainstem To Forest Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 2, T13n, R15w (1.5 Miles West Of Herperia)
- Kings Road Bridge (2 Miles West Of Town Of Luther In T19n, R12w To Slackwater Of The State Fish Weir In T21n, R16w
Track Minnie Lake 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 Minnie Lake Dam
Where does the data for Minnie Lake 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 Minnie Lake Dam.