Pelican Lake dam
Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake, located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, is a man-made reservoir constructed in 1938 for purposes other than flood control or water supply. The dam at Pelican Lake is classified as a gravity dam with a height of 6 feet and a hydraulic height of 3.5 feet. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 170,275 acre-feet and a surface area of 8,253 acres, making it a significant water resource in the area.
Managed by the local government, Pelican Lake is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring that the dam is inspected, permitted, and enforced to maintain safety standards. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the reservoir poses a very high risk due to its location and potential impact on the surrounding area. With a controlled spillway and a maximum discharge of 350 cubic feet per second, Pelican Lake plays a crucial role in water management and conservation efforts in the region.
As a popular recreational spot in Breezy Point, Pelican Lake provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. Its proximity to Pelican Brook-TR and its drainage area of 27.8 square miles make it a vital ecosystem supporting diverse flora and fauna. Climate and water resource enthusiasts can explore the unique features of Pelican Lake while appreciating its importance in the local community and environmental conservation efforts.
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 Pelican Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At Brainerd | 2,380 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Aitkin | 2,240 cfs | → |
| Crow Wing River Near Pillager | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Crow Wing River At Nimrod | 343 cfs | → |
| Straight River Near Park Rapids | 46 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Grand Rapids | 550 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pelican Lake.
Boat launches
- Ruttger Road 7907, Crow Wing County
- Red Pine Drive Breezy Point
- Crow Wing County
- Lower Hay Access Crow Wing County
- Upper Hay Access 4272, Crow Wing County
Campgrounds
- Us Army Corps Of Engineers Campground
- Ronald Cloutier - Cross Lake
- Greer Lake Campground
- Pine River Bike Cg - Dnr
- Cuyuna Country State Park - Portsmouth Campground
- Cuyuna Country Sra - Portsmouth Cg
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Discharge Of The Flood Diversion Channel To Riverton
- The 25-Acre Island Just South Of Brainerd To Roscoe Island
- The Boundary Between Logan And Workman Townships In Aitkin County To The Dam Entrance Of The Flood Diversion Channel
- Blanchard Dam To Ends One Mile Downstream From The Southern Village Boundary Of Rice
- The Confluence Of The Prairie River To The Boundary Of Logan And Workman Townships
Track Pelican 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 Pelican Lake
Where does the data for Pelican 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 Pelican Lake.