Big Pine Lake dam
Big Pine Lake
Big Pine Lake, located in Otter Tail, Minnesota, is a gravity dam completed in 1937 with a primary purpose of serving as a water resource. The dam has a structural height of 10 feet and a hydraulic height of 3.8 feet, providing a normal storage capacity of 77,120 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 91,580 acre-feet. The reservoir covers a surface area of 4,644 acres and has a drainage area of 560 square miles, with a maximum discharge capacity of 3,420 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Big Pine Lake is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the state agency to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. With a low hazard potential and a satisfactory condition assessment, the dam poses minimal risk to the surrounding community. The last inspection in August 2017 confirmed its structural integrity, and the emergency action plan is in place to respond to any unforeseen events. Overall, Big Pine Lake serves as a vital water resource for the region, contributing to flood control, water supply, and recreational activities along the Otter Tail River.
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 Big Pine Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Straight River Near Park Rapids | 46 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth | 341 cfs | → |
| Crow Wing River At Nimrod | 343 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Bl Orwell D Nr Fergus Falls | 525 cfs | → |
| Buffalo River Near Hawley | 47 cfs | → |
| Long Prairie River At Long Prairie | 169 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Big Pine Lake.
Boat launches
- Grand View Drive Otter Tail County
- Otter Tail County
- Boys Shore Road Perham
- Marion Lake Boat Ramp
- Rice Lake Road 48817, Otter Tail County
- 513th Street Otter Tail County
Campgrounds
- Lion's Park
- Waterfront Park
- Wolf Lake City Campground
- Sebeka City Park & Campground
- Glendalough State Park Canoe Campsite
- Glendalough State Park Cart-In Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
More reservoirs
Track Big Pine 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 Big Pine Lake
Where does the data for Big Pine 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 Big Pine Lake.