Moose-Willow 2 dam
Moose-Willow 2
Moose-Willow 2, located in Aitkin, Minnesota, is a state-regulated dam with a primary purpose of serving as a fish and wildlife pond. Constructed in 1966, this earth dam stands at a height of 14 feet and has a length of 1500 feet, providing a storage capacity of 90 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, emphasizing the need for maintenance and potential upgrades to ensure its stability and functionality.
The dam is situated on the Willow River, within the St. Paul District, and is overseen by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The surrounding area offers a surface area of 20 acres and a drainage area of 1.7 square miles, making it a vital habitat for various fish and wildlife species. With a very high risk assessment rating of 1, it is crucial for proper risk management measures to be implemented to mitigate any potential hazards or failures that could impact the surrounding community and ecosystem.
Despite its current condition assessment of poor, Moose-Willow 2 continues to play a significant role in supporting the local fish and wildlife populations. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is essential to monitor and address the dam's maintenance needs to ensure its continued functionality and safety. By collaborating with regulatory agencies and stakeholders, proactive measures can be taken to enhance the dam's resilience and preserve its ecological value for future generations.
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 Moose-Willow 2 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At Grand Rapids | 580 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Aitkin | 2,330 cfs | → |
| Prairie River Near Taconite | 212 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Brainerd | 2,630 cfs | → |
| St. Louis River At Scanlon | 3,030 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Moose-Willow 2.
Boat launches
- 670th Street Aitkin County
- Washburn Lake Forest Road Aitkin County
- Split Hand Lake
- Smith Lake
- Cowhorn Lake
- Little Cowhorn Lake
Campgrounds
- Hill Lake City Park
- Jacobson County Campground
- Jacobson Campground
- Sandy Lake-Coe
- Hay Lake Campground
- Savanna State Forest -Hay Lake
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Boundary Between Logan And Workman Townships In Aitkin County To The Dam Entrance Of The Flood Diversion Channel
- The Confluence Of The Prairie River To The Boundary Of Logan And Workman Townships
- The Discharge Of The Flood Diversion Channel To Riverton
- Lake Winnigigoshish To Blackwater Lake
- Carlton County State Aid Highway #12 Bridge To The Site Of Old Sandstone Hydroelectric Dam
- The 25-Acre Island Just South Of Brainerd To Roscoe Island
Track Moose-Willow 2 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 Moose-Willow 2
Where does the data for Moose-Willow 2 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 Moose-Willow 2.