Brown's Lake dam
Brown's Lake
Brown's Lake, located in Warroad, Minnesota, serves as a crucial flood risk reduction structure along the Judicial Ditch 62 watershed. Completed in 1976, this gravity dam stands at a height of 10 feet and stretches 7,900 feet in length. With a normal storage capacity of 1,500 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 2,000 acre-feet, Brown's Lake plays a vital role in mitigating potential flooding events in the region.
Managed by the state of Minnesota, Brown's Lake has been deemed to have a low hazard potential and is currently in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in May 2016. The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, aligning with its design as a buttress gravity structure. With a drainage area of 3.4 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 55 cubic feet per second, Brown's Lake stands as a testament to effective water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region.
Despite not being regulated or permitted by the state, Brown's Lake remains a crucial component of the flood risk reduction infrastructure in Lake of the Woods County. With its strategic location and design, this dam serves as a key asset in safeguarding the surrounding community from potential flood events. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the importance and functionality of structures like Brown's Lake is essential in promoting sustainable water management practices and building resilience in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Brown's Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid River Near Baudette | 393 cfs | → |
| Roseau River Below South Fork Near Malung | 44 cfs | → |
| Sprague Creek Near Sprague | 137 cfs | → |
| Roseau River At Ross | 359 cfs | → |
| Red Lake River Near Red Lake | 210 cfs | → |
| Red Lake River At High Landing Nr Goodridge | 308 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Brown's Lake.
Boat launches
- 645th Avenue Lake Of The Woods County
- Mackenzie Street Northeast Warroad
- Lake Of The Woods County
- 1st Street Northeast Baudette
- River Park Street Baudette
Campgrounds
- Faunce - Beltrami Island Sf
- Williams City Park
- Williams City Park Campground
- Beltrami Island Sf - Bemis Hill
- Hayes Lake State Park
- Warroad City Campground
Fishing spots
- Walleye Retreat
- Sweet's Fishing With Steve Sweet
- Bearpawguides On Upper Red Lake
- Bass (South Island) Lake
More reservoirs
Track Brown's 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 Brown's Lake
Where does the data for Brown's 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 Brown's Lake.