Little Toad Lake dam
Little Toad Lake
Little Toad Lake is a charming reservoir located in Becker, Minnesota, with a rich history dating back to its completion in 1937 by the WPA-C. This gravity dam stands at a height of 10 feet, with a hydraulic height of 2.8 feet, and a length of 237 feet, providing a storage capacity of 3,000 acre-feet for the surrounding area. The lake covers a surface area of 405 acres and has a drainage area of 3 square miles, with a controlled spillway that has a width of 10 feet.
Despite its low hazard potential, Little Toad Lake is currently assessed as being in poor condition, with a very high risk rating of 1. The dam is state-regulated and maintained by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring that it meets all necessary inspection, permitting, and enforcement requirements. Although the dam has not been modified in recent years, it is crucial to monitor its condition closely to prevent any potential risks to the surrounding community and ecosystem. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Little Toad Lake serves as a fascinating example of a historic dam that continues to play a vital role in water management in the region.
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 Little Toad Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Straight River Near Park Rapids | 46 cfs | → |
| Crow Wing River At Nimrod | 349 cfs | → |
| Buffalo River Near Hawley | 61 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth | 334 cfs | → |
| Wild Rice River At Twin Valley | 177 cfs | → |
| South Branch Buffalo River At Sabin | 66 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Little Toad Lake.
Boat launches
- 513th Street Otter Tail County
- Frazee
- Valley View Road 31379, Becker County
- Heartland Trail Detroit Lakes
- Rice Lake Road 48817, Otter Tail County
- County Road 143 Becker County
Campgrounds
- Waterfront Park
- Wolf Lake City Campground
- American Legion Park - Detroit Lakes
- Menahga Memorial Forest Campground
- Memorial Forest Park - Menahga
- Hungryman Lake- Two Inlets State Forest
Fishing spots
Track Little Toad 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 Little Toad Lake
Where does the data for Little Toad 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 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 Little Toad Lake.