Crystal Falls dam
Crystal Falls
Crystal Falls is a historic gravity dam located in Iron County, Michigan, in the picturesque city of Crystal Falls. Built in 1903, this multi-arch dam stands at a height of 24 feet and has a hydraulic height of 25 feet. With a storage capacity of 590 acre-feet and serving a drainage area of 597 square miles, Crystal Falls plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Owned by the local government and regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Crystal Falls has a low hazard potential and is equipped with a Tainter spillway with a width of 100 feet. The dam's condition assessment is not available, but it undergoes inspections every three years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. Despite not being state-regulated, Crystal Falls remains a vital piece of infrastructure for the community, providing water storage and flood control benefits.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Crystal Falls offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of history, engineering, and environmental stewardship. Its presence on the Paint Branch river not only highlights the importance of dam infrastructure in managing water resources but also underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of such critical structures in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Crystal Falls -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Michigamme River Near Crystal Falls | 1,430 cfs | → |
| Paint River Nr Alpha | 413 cfs | → |
| Brule River At Us Highway 2 Near Florence | 367 cfs | → |
| Brule River Near Commonwealth | 777 cfs | → |
| Menominee River Near Florence | 2,130 cfs | → |
| Iron River At County Hwy-424 At Caspian | 75 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crystal Falls .
Boat launches
- East Superior Avenue Crystal Falls
- Sheltrow Road Crystal Falls Township
- Us 2 Crystal Falls Township
- Kohon Road Crystal Falls Township
- Lake Mary Road Mastodon Township
- Long Lake Road Crystal Falls Township
Campgrounds
- Paint River Hills Campground
- Glidden Lake State Forest Campground
- Pentoga Park (Iron County Park)
- Lake Ellen Camp
- Bates Township Park - Sunset Lake
- Iron River Rv Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Mainstem, Easternforest Boundary In Sec 1, T44n, R35w To City Of Crystal Falls
- Brule Lake In Ne1/4 Sec 15, T41n, R13e To Forest Boundary In Se1/4 Sec 31, T41n, R17e
- Net River Mainstem, Confluence With East/West Branches To Confluence With The Mainstem Paint River
- Forest Road 2156 To Eastern Forest Boundary
- Forest Road 2133 To Forest Road 2156
- East Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 8, T47n, R32w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
More reservoirs
Track Crystal Falls 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 Crystal Falls
Where does the data for Crystal Falls 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 Crystal Falls .