Pelican Lake dam
Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake, located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, is a man-made reservoir on the Pelican River with a primary purpose other than flood control or water supply. The dam, completed in 2002, is a gravity dam with a height of 8 feet and a length of 80 feet, providing a normal storage capacity of 197,010 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 240,790 acre-feet. The reservoir covers an area of 2050 acres and has a drainage area of 69.4 square miles.
Maintained by the local government, Pelican Lake is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Division of Ecological and Water Resources. With a controlled spillway and a low hazard potential, the dam is considered to be in fair condition as of the last assessment in 2013. Despite the very high risk of failure indicated by the risk assessment, the dam has not been modified in recent years and is inspected every 8 years. In the event of an emergency, the reservoir's Emergency Action Plan status and preparation are currently unspecified.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Pelican Lake presents an intriguing case study of a locally-managed reservoir with unique characteristics and risk factors. Its presence along the Pelican River adds to the ecological diversity of the region, and its regulated operation ensures a balance between water storage and flood risk management. As climate change continues to impact water resources, understanding and monitoring the condition of dams like Pelican Lake becomes crucial for sustainable water management in the future.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake | 1,070 cfs | → |
| Gold Portage Outlet From Kabetogama Lk Nr Ray | 498 cfs | → |
| Little Fork River At Littlefork | 1,140 cfs | → |
| Big Fork River At Big Falls | 580 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi R Abv White Iron Lake Nr Ely | 1,650 cfs | → |
| Prairie River Near Taconite | 187 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pelican Lake.
Boat launches
- Johnson Parkway Orr
- Crane Lake Road Saint Louis County
- Long Lake, Button Box
- Thistledew Lake
- Beatrice Lake
- Astrid Trail (6029a) Saint Louis County
Campgrounds
- Myrtle Lake
- Camp Vermilion
- Samuelson County Park
- Kabetogama State Forest - Wakemup Bay Campground
- Wakemup Bay - Kabetogama State Forest
- Echo Lake Campground
Paddle runs
- Section 26, T65n, R17w To Section 31, T66n, R17w
- Wolf Bay Of Lake Vermilion To Section 26, T65n, R17w
- Section 31, T66n, R17w To Crane Lake
- Dora Lake To State Highway 6
More reservoirs
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.