Sartell dam
Sartell
Located in Benton County, Minnesota, Sartell is home to a significant hydroelectric dam on the Mississippi River. Completed in 1964, this gravity dam stands at 46 feet tall with a structural height of 46 feet and a length of 622 feet. With a storage capacity of 15,500 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 48,000 cubic feet per second, this dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and renewable energy production in the region.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Sartell dam is state-regulated and undergoes regular inspections, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its safe and efficient operation. With a spillway width of 388 feet and controlled spillway type, the dam has a high hazard potential but is equipped with emergency action plans and contact protocols to mitigate risks. The surrounding area boasts a surface area of 2,400 acres and a drainage area of 12,265 acres, highlighting the dam's impact on local water resources and ecosystems.
Serving as a key player in Minnesota's hydroelectric infrastructure, the Sartell dam stands as a testament to sustainable energy practices and water resource management. With its multi-arch core design and soil foundations, the dam exemplifies engineering excellence while addressing the region's power needs. As climate change continues to threaten water resources, the careful regulation and maintenance of dams like Sartell are essential in securing a resilient and sustainable future for the community.
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 Sartell -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sauk River Near St. Cloud | 531 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At St. Cloud | 5,460 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Near Royalton | 4,670 cfs | → |
| Elk River Near Big Lake | 246 cfs | → |
| Long Prairie River At Long Prairie | 168 cfs | → |
| Crow River At Rockford | 1,640 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sartell .
Boat launches
- Northeast River Road Watab
- Sauk Rapids
- St. Cloud
- Riverside Drive Northeast 501, St. Cloud
- Us 10 9399, Rice
Campgrounds
- Benton Beach
- Benton Beach Campground
- Campsite- Bicycle
- Rockville Cp - Canoe Camp
- Veterans Memorial Park Campgrounds
- St. Cloud Clearwater Rv Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Beaver Islands At St. Cloud To The Confluence Of The Clearwater River
- The Confluence Of The Clearwater River To The Northwestern Corporate Boundary Of Anoka
- Blanchard Dam To Ends One Mile Downstream From The Southern Village Boundary Of Rice
- The 25-Acre Island Just South Of Brainerd To Roscoe Island
Track Sartell 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 Sartell
Where does the data for Sartell 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 High 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 Sartell .