Blumentritt Detention dam
Blumentritt Detention
Blumentritt Detention, also known as Irvin Blumentritt Detention, is a privately owned earth dam located on Pine Creek in Winona, Minnesota. Built in 1966 by the USDA NRCS, this dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction for the surrounding area. With a height of 24 feet and a length of 424 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 45 acre-feet and a drainage area of 1.3 square miles.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Blumentritt Detention dam has a low hazard potential and is assessed to be in satisfactory condition as of its last inspection in May 2017. Despite its uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, the dam has a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, indicating the need for continued monitoring and potential risk management measures. The surrounding community of Pine Creek relies on this structure to mitigate flood risks and protect local water resources in times of heavy rainfall or increased river flow.
With its important role in flood risk reduction for the Pine Creek area, Blumentritt Detention stands as a key infrastructure piece in the state's water resource management efforts. As climate change continues to pose challenges for water systems across the country, structures like this dam play a crucial role in protecting communities and ensuring the sustainable use of water resources in a changing climate.
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 Blumentritt Detention -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Root River Near Houston | 892 cfs | → |
| South Fork Root River Near Houston | 184 cfs | → |
| La Crosse River Near La Crosse | 454 cfs | → |
| Black River Near Galesville | 1,200 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Winona | 29,800 cfs | → |
| Trempealeau River At Dodge | 765 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blumentritt Detention.
Boat launches
- River Street Dakota
- Lake Onalaska -- Brice Prairie Walk-In Access
- Lake Onalaska/Mississippi River -- Brice Prairie Channel Landing (Fred Funk)
- Long Lake -- Landing
- Mississippi River -- Round Lake -- Access
- French Slough -- Lower French Island Spillway
Campgrounds
- Great River Bluffs State Park
- Great River Bluffs State Park Campground
- Cart In Sites
- Houston Nature Center Trailhead Campground
- Pla-Mor Campground
- Perrot State Park
Fishing spots
- Franklin St. Fishing Pier
- Huff Street Fishing Pier
- Dacota Street Fishing Pier
- New Albin Big Lake
- 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
Track Blumentritt Detention 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 Blumentritt Detention
Where does the data for Blumentritt Detention 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 Blumentritt Detention.