Loon Lake, located in Jackson, Minnesota, is a gravity dam on Loon Creek with a primary purpose that goes beyond typical water resource management. Completed in 1935, this dam stands at 8 feet tall and spans 30 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 5000 acre-feet for its 707-acre surface area. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam received a satisfactory condition assessment during its last inspection in 2015, ensuring its structural integrity for the foreseeable future.

Owned by the local government and situated in the Omaha District, Loon Lake serves as a vital resource for the surrounding community, with a normal storage capacity of 3000 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 265 cubic feet per second. Its relatively small drainage area of 32 square miles highlights its localized impact on water management in the region. With its buttress core design and unlisted foundation type, this dam exemplifies the engineering ingenuity of its time while also incorporating modern safety standards to meet regulatory requirements.

As climate change continues to impact water resources worldwide, the significance of dams like Loon Lake in managing water availability and flood control cannot be understated. With Jim Hagedorn (R) representing the area in Congress, the importance of maintaining and updating infrastructure like this dam remains a priority to ensure the resilience of local communities in the face of changing environmental conditions.