Chippewa dam
Chippewa
Chippewa, also known as Tamarack Lakes, is a Federal-owned dam located in Becker, Minnesota, along the Otter Tail River. Built in 1930 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, this Earth dam stands at a height of 12 feet and spans 85 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 7,650 acre-feet, it serves multiple purposes, including flood control and water supply for the surrounding area.
Despite its age, Chippewa has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition assessment. The dam has not undergone any recent modifications and does not fall under state regulation or inspection. While the dam does not have an Emergency Action Plan prepared, it is still considered to meet safety guidelines. Chippewa plays a crucial role in managing water resources and protecting the local community from potential flooding events, highlighting the importance of maintaining and monitoring such infrastructure for the long-term sustainability of our water systems.
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 Chippewa -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Straight River Near Park Rapids | 45 cfs | → |
| Buffalo River Near Hawley | 46 cfs | → |
| Wild Rice River At Twin Valley | 194 cfs | → |
| Crow Wing River At Nimrod | 327 cfs | → |
| Otter Tail River Near Elizabeth | 336 cfs | → |
| South Branch Buffalo River At Sabin | 65 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chippewa.
Boat launches
- County Road 143 Becker County
- Sugar Maple Lane 29299, Becker County
- Pine Point
- Heartland Trail Detroit Lakes
- Hoot Owl Lake Road 10405, Clearwater County
- Valley View Road 31379, Becker County
Campgrounds
- Waterfront Park
- Wolf Lake City Campground
- American Legion Park - Detroit Lakes
- Hungryman Lake- Two Inlets State Forest
- Hungryman Forest Campground
- Deer Park Lake Camp Site B10
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Outlet Of Lake Itasca To The Iron Bridge Of County Road 7
- The Iron Bridge Of County Road 7 To Lake Bemidji
- The Otter Tail Powerplant To Allen's Bay
More reservoirs
Track Chippewa 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 Chippewa
Where does the data for Chippewa 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 Chippewa.