Banks Group dam
Banks Group
The Banks Group in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, is a privately owned dam regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Built in 1968 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, and small fish pond management. The dam stands at 26 feet in height with a structural height of 30 feet, stretching 420 feet in length and holding a normal storage capacity of 7.3 acre-feet.
Situated on Butler Creek in Goodhue County, the Banks Group dam has a low hazard potential and is rated as satisfactory in condition assessment. With a moderate risk level, the dam has undergone inspections every 8 years, with the last assessment conducted in August 2016. Despite being uncontrolled, the spillway width is noted as 0 feet, with a maximum discharge capacity of 60 cubic feet per second.
Owned by a private entity, the Banks Group dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region, providing essential services while maintaining a satisfactory condition. With its historical significance dating back to the late 1960s, the dam serves as a vital infrastructure for fire protection and ecological preservation along Butler Creek in Minnesota.
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 Banks Group -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cannon River At Welch | 553 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Red Wing | 19,600 cfs | → |
| Vermillion River Near Empire | 45 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Below L&D #2 At Hastings | 17,700 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Prescott | 21,900 cfs | → |
| Straight River Near Faribault | 318 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Banks Group.
Boat launches
- Scout Ridge Road Goodhue County
- Mill Towns State Trail Dakota County
- Gerlach Way Dakota County
- County Road 68 Goodhue County
- 190th Street Way Goodhue County
- Mississippi River -- Hager City
Track Banks Group 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 Banks Group
Where does the data for Banks Group 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 Banks Group.