Collinwood Lake dam
Collinwood Lake
Collinwood Lake, located in Meeker County, Minnesota, is a state-owned reservoir with a dam completed in 1955. The lake serves as a vital water resource for the surrounding area, with a storage capacity of 8,580 acre-feet and a surface area of 644 acres. Collinwood Lake is regulated and inspected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations.
The dam at Collinwood Lake is a gravity dam with a height of 11 feet and a structural height of 8 feet. It serves a primary purpose of "Other" and is classified as having a low hazard potential with a fair condition assessment. The lake is fed by Collinwood Creek and has a drainage area of 50.9 square miles, providing important habitat for local wildlife and supporting the local ecosystem.
With its scenic location and importance as a water resource, Collinwood Lake is a valuable asset to the community. Climate enthusiasts and water resource experts alike can appreciate the role that this reservoir plays in water management and conservation efforts in Meeker County, Minnesota.
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 Collinwood Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Crow River At Rockford | 1,770 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At St. Cloud | 6,080 cfs | → |
| Sauk River Near St. Cloud | 587 cfs | → |
| Elk River Near Big Lake | 259 cfs | → |
| High Island Creek Near Henderson | 68 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River Near Jordan | 7,660 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Collinwood Lake.
Boat launches
- Meeker County
- Mcleod County
- County Road 35 West Buffalo
- Lake Boulevard South Buffalo
- Dague Avenue Southeast 1229, Wright County
- 126th Avenue 17974, Stearns County
Campgrounds
- Collinwood County Park
- Piepenburg Co Park
- Piepenburg County Park
- Stanley Eddy Regional Park Reserve South
- Stanley Eddy Memorial Park Reserv (North)
- Masonic/West River City Park
Track Collinwood 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 Collinwood Lake
Where does the data for Collinwood 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 Collinwood Lake.