Hoot Lake dam
Hoot Lake
Hoot Lake, located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, is home to a historic gravity dam built in 1913 for hydroelectric purposes. The dam, also known as the Diversion Dam, serves multiple functions including fish and wildlife pond creation, recreation, and water supply. With a height of 10 feet and a hydraulic height of 7.2 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 99 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 2250 cubic feet per second.
Managed by a public utility, Hoot Lake Dam is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources with oversight from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam undergoes regular inspections every three years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. In the event of an emergency, an Emergency Action Plan is in place, last revised in December 2020, to guide response efforts and protect the surrounding community.
With its picturesque location on the Ottertail River and a spillway width of 61 feet, Hoot Lake Dam offers a blend of natural beauty and engineering marvel. As a vital piece of infrastructure in the region, the dam continues to provide clean energy, recreational opportunities, and essential water resources for the community while maintaining a moderate risk assessment rating. Its historical significance and ongoing maintenance efforts highlight the importance of sustainable water resource management and climate adaptation practices in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Hoot Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth | 338 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Bl Orwell D Nr Fergus Falls | 529 cfs | → |
| Red River Of The North At Wahpeton | 722 cfs | → |
| Bois De Sioux River Near Doran | 143 cfs | → |
| Antelope Creek At Dwight | 19 cfs | → |
| Wild Rice River Nr Abercrombie | 134 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hoot Lake .
Boat launches
- North Main Street 364, Underwood
- Maine
- Amor
- Lake Shore Drive Battle Lake
- Blue Bell Road 43243, Otter Tail County
Track Hoot 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 Hoot Lake
Where does the data for Hoot 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 Hoot Lake .