Mcknight Lake dam
Mcknight Lake
McKnight Lake, located in Chaska, Minnesota, is a local government-owned water resource that serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction. The dam at McKnight Lake is an earth structure with a height of 8 feet, providing a storage capacity of 82 acre-feet and covering a surface area of 31 acres. The lake is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR EWR) and is situated on Chaska East Creek within the St. Paul District.
Despite its low hazard potential, McKnight Lake's condition assessment in 2015 was reported as satisfactory, ensuring its structural integrity for flood risk mitigation. The lake has not undergone significant modifications in recent years and is inspected every 8 years to maintain its operational capacity. With a drainage area of 5.93 square miles, McKnight Lake plays a crucial role in managing stormwater runoff and reducing the impact of potential flooding in the surrounding Carver County region. Water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate the strategic design and regulatory oversight that contribute to McKnight Lake's overall effectiveness in protecting the local community from flood events.
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 Mcknight Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota River Near Jordan | 10,800 cfs | → |
| Crow River At Rockford | 1,200 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River At Fort Snelling State Park | 6,620 cfs | → |
| Shingle Creek At Queen Ave In Minneapolis | 23 cfs | → |
| High Island Creek Near Henderson | 70 cfs | → |
| Elm Creek Nr Champlin | 23 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mcknight Lake.
Boat launches
- Lake Trail Chanhassen
- Lake Ann Park Drive Chanhassen
- Chanhassen
- Cr 101 Shakopee
- Main Street East Carver
- Merrywood Lane Minnetrista
Paddle runs
- The Confluence Of The Clearwater River To The Northwestern Corporate Boundary Of Anoka
- The Beaver Islands At St. Cloud To The Confluence Of The Clearwater River
More reservoirs
Track Mcknight 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 Mcknight Lake
Where does the data for Mcknight 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 Mcknight Lake.