Hamden Gun Club dam
Hamden Gun Club
The Hamden Gun Club in Hawley, Minnesota, is a privately owned facility located along the Buffalo River-TR. The dam, completed in 1956, stands at 10 feet in height and spans 640 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 660 acre-feet and a surface area of 45 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the area.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Hamden Gun Club dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's satisfactory condition assessment in 2016 signifies its reliability in mitigating flood risks and supporting water supply needs in Becker County.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the intersection of infrastructure and environmental stewardship, the Hamden Gun Club dam serves as a notable example of a privately owned structure contributing to water management efforts in Minnesota. Its strategic location along the Buffalo River-TR, coupled with its satisfactory condition and regulatory oversight, highlights the importance of such facilities in maintaining water quality, mitigating flood risks, and supporting ecosystem health in the region.
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 Hamden Gun Club -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo River Near Hawley | 61 cfs | → |
| Wild Rice River At Twin Valley | 177 cfs | → |
| Buffalo River Near Dilworth | 109 cfs | → |
| South Branch Buffalo River At Sabin | 66 cfs | → |
| Red River Of The North At Fargo | 929 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth | 334 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hamden Gun Club.
Boat launches
- Sugar Maple Lane 29299, Becker County
- West Lake Drive Detroit Lakes
- West Lake Drive 1360, Detroit Lakes
- Heartland Trail Detroit Lakes
- County Highway 22 20820, Lake Eunice
- Becker County
Campgrounds
- American Legion Park - Detroit Lakes
- Buffalo River State Park
- Heiberg Park
- Heiberg Park Campground
- Sherin Memorial Park/Campground
- Sherin Memorial City Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
Track Hamden Gun Club 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 Hamden Gun Club
Where does the data for Hamden Gun Club 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 Hamden Gun Club.