Sleepy Dam dam
Sleepy Dam
Sleepy Dam, located in the picturesque city of Hilger Camp, Michigan, along the tranquil waters of Sleepy Creek, stands as a private earth dam primarily designated for recreational purposes. With a structural height of 30 feet and a length of 300 feet, this dam offers storage of up to 51 acre-feet of water, creating a surface area of 4 acres for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. Despite its low hazard potential and not being regulated by the state, Sleepy Dam has not been inspected since April 1992, prompting questions about its current condition.
While the dam's risk assessment is rated at a high level (2), the lack of recent inspections and condition assessments raises concerns about its overall safety and maintenance. With a spillway width of 12 feet and no outlet gates or locks, Sleepy Dam's emergency action plan readiness and compliance with guidelines remain unknown. As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the need for regular inspections, risk management measures, and emergency preparedness at Sleepy Dam becomes increasingly vital to ensure the safety of nearby communities and the environment.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the unique characteristics and potential risks associated with Sleepy Dam along Sleepy Creek in Houghton, Michigan, serve as a reminder of the importance of proactive dam management and maintenance in the face of changing environmental conditions. With its serene location and recreational significance, efforts to assess and address the dam's condition, emergency preparedness, and risk management measures are essential to safeguarding both the dam's integrity and the surrounding ecosystems for future generations to enjoy.
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 Sleepy Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sturgeon River Near Alston | 496 cfs | → |
| Ontonagon River Near Rockland | 778 cfs | → |
| Sturgeon River Near Sidnaw | 147 cfs | → |
| Silver River Near L'Anse | 54 cfs | → |
| Bond Falls Canal Near Paulding | 91 cfs | → |
| West Branch Ontonagon River Near Bergland | 91 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sleepy Dam.
Boat launches
- Clear Lake Access Road Elm River Township
- Sandy Lake Access Road Elm River Township
- Campground Lane Elm River Township
- Parkside Drive Elm River Township
- Courtney Lake Bohemia Township
- Federal Forest Highway 16 Bohemia Township
Campgrounds
- Emily Lake State Forest Campground
- Emily Lake State Forest
- Courtney Lake
- Courtney Lake Campground
- Bob Lake
- Bob Lake Campground
Fishing spots
- Lake Roland (Twin Lakes)
- Lake Gerald (Twin Lakes)
- Rockland Pond
- Prickett Reservoir
- Otter Lake
- Alberta Pond
Paddle runs
- South Branch,Confluence Of Cisco Branch And Tenmile Creek To Confluence With West Branch
- From Wagner Lake In Sec 13, T49n, R31w To Eastern Boundary Of The Ottawa Nf In Sec 12, T48n, R35@
- West Branch, Mi State Highway 28 To Cascade Falls
- West Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 35, T48n, R34w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- East Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 8, T47n, R32w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- Net River Mainstem, Confluence With East/West Branches To Confluence With The Mainstem Paint River
Track Sleepy 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 Sleepy Dam
Where does the data for Sleepy 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 Sleepy Dam.