St. Cloud dam
St. Cloud
Located in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the St. Cloud Dam is a gravity-type structure built on the Mississippi River that serves primarily for water supply purposes. Completed in 1972, this dam stands at a height of 22 feet with a hydraulic height of 15 feet and a structural height of 23.3 feet. With a storage capacity of 2,254 acre-feet and a drainage area of 13,320 square miles, the dam plays a vital role in managing water resources in the region.
The St. Cloud Dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring that it meets the necessary safety and environmental standards. With a controlled spillway width of 550 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 138,000 cubic feet per second, the dam has a high hazard potential and is classified as a very high-risk structure. Despite its age, the dam's condition assessment is currently not available, highlighting the importance of regular inspections and maintenance to ensure its continued functionality and safety for the surrounding community.
As a key component of the local water supply infrastructure and a critical structure on the Mississippi River, the St. Cloud Dam plays a crucial role in water management and flood control efforts in the region. With its significant storage capacity, high hazard potential, and risk assessment rating, the dam underscores the importance of effective risk management and emergency preparedness measures to mitigate potential hazards and ensure the safety of nearby residents and infrastructure. Further monitoring and maintenance of this essential water resource structure will be essential to safeguarding the community and environment it serves.
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 St. Cloud -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At St. Cloud | 5,460 cfs | → |
| Sauk River Near St. Cloud | 531 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Near Royalton | 4,670 cfs | → |
| Elk River Near Big Lake | 246 cfs | → |
| Crow River At Rockford | 1,640 cfs | → |
| Rum River Near St. Francis | 586 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near St. Cloud .
Boat launches
- St. Cloud
- Riverside Drive Northeast 501, St. Cloud
- Beaver Islands Trail St. Cloud
- Sauk Rapids
- Northeast River Road Watab
Campgrounds
- St. Cloud Clearwater Rv Park
- Warner Lake Cp--East Bicycle Camp
- Rockville Cp - Canoe Camp
- Campsite- Bicycle
- Benton Beach
- Benton Beach Campground
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
More reservoirs
Track St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud
Where does the data for St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud .