Bennet Group Pond dam
Bennet Group Pond
Bennet Group Pond, located in Houston County, Minnesota, is a private pond designed by the USDA NRCS for flood risk reduction along the Oxbow Creek. Completed in 1972, this earth dam stands at 26 feet high and has a storage capacity of 25.6 acre-feet, primarily serving the purpose of flood risk reduction. The pond has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition assessment.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Bennet Group Pond is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state agencies to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite its moderate risk level, the pond has not been designated with an Emergency Action Plan or inundation maps. With its uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, Bennet Group Pond serves as a vital infrastructure for managing water resources and mitigating flood risks in the region, making it a key asset for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and study.
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 Bennet Group Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| La Crosse River Near La Crosse | 466 cfs | → |
| Root River Near Houston | 1,010 cfs | → |
| South Fork Root River Near Houston | 182 cfs | → |
| Black River Near Galesville | 1,230 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Winona | 29,300 cfs | → |
| Trempealeau River At Dodge | 793 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bennet Group Pond.
Boat launches
- Mississippi River -- City Marina
- Mississippi River -- Green Island Ramp
- Black River - Skipper Bud's Marina
- Black River/Mississippi River -- Veterans Freedom Park Landing
- French Slough -- Lower French Island Spillway
- Mississippi River/Wigwam Slough - Goose Island Boat Ramp (North)
Campgrounds
- Goose Island Campground
- Wildcat Park
- Great River Bluffs State Park Campground
- Cart In Sites
- Great River Bluffs State Park
- Houston Nature Center Trailhead Campground
Fishing spots
- Franklin St. Fishing Pier
- New Albin Big Lake
- Huff Street Fishing Pier
- Dacota Street Fishing Pier
- French Creek
- Pine Creek
Paddle runs
- The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek To Lane's Bridge
- The Town Of Bluffton To The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek
- The Minnesota-Iowa State Border To Ends Near The Town Of Bluffton, Iowa
- Western Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument To Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument
- The Big Green River To The River's Mouth At The Mississippi River
Track Bennet Group Pond 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 Bennet Group Pond
Where does the data for Bennet Group Pond 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 Bennet Group Pond.