Welch Lake dam
Welch Lake
Welch Lake, located in Itasca, Minnesota, is a Federal-owned fish and wildlife pond with a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment. The Earth dam, completed in 1973, stands at a height of 9 feet and has a maximum storage capacity of 163 acre-feet. With a surface area of 23 acres and a normal storage of 85 acre-feet, Welch Lake serves as a vital resource for the conservation of local flora and fauna.
Managed by the USDA Forest Service, Welch Lake is situated near the TR-Popple River and is part of the St. Paul District. The dam, with a structural height of 14 feet, has an uncontrolled spillway and a maximum discharge capacity of 40 cubic feet per second. Despite not being state-regulated, Welch Lake undergoes regular inspections, with the last one conducted in May 2017, ensuring the safety and integrity of the structure.
Although not rated for condition assessment, Welch Lake continues to play a crucial role in the ecosystem, offering a serene habitat for various wildlife species. With its tranquil surroundings and strategic location, Welch Lake remains a key water resource for both environmental enthusiasts and climate advocates, highlighting the importance of sustainable management practices for the preservation of our natural landscapes.
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 Welch Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Fork River At Big Falls | 697 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Near Bemidji | 281 cfs | → |
| Prairie River Near Taconite | 254 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Grand Rapids | 545 cfs | → |
| Little Fork River At Littlefork | 1,380 cfs | → |
| Red Lake River Near Red Lake | 210 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Welch Lake.
⚓ Boat launches
More boat launches →⛺ Campgrounds
- Noma Lake Campground
- T And N Inn Lodging And Campground
- Middle Pigeon Lake Campground
- Paul Bunyan Memorial Park
- Cut Foot Horse Camp
- East Seelye Bay
🎣 Fishing spots
- Bartlett Lake
- Alice Lake
- Amik Lake
- Ackerman Lakes
- Bass (South Island) Lake
- Bearpawguides On Upper Red Lake
🛶 Paddle runs
- Dora Lake To State Highway 6
- Lake Winnigigoshish To Blackwater Lake
- Cass Lake To Lake Winnibigoshish
- The Otter Tail Powerplant To Allen's Bay
- The Iron Bridge Of County Road 7 To Lake Bemidji
- The Confluence Of The Prairie River To The Boundary Of Logan And Workman Townships
🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Welch Lake 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 Welch Lake
Where does the data for Welch Lake 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 Welch Lake.