Lazarus Creek dam
Lazarus Creek
Lazarus Creek, located in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, is a vital water resource managed by the local government for flood risk reduction. The dam on Lazarus Creek, constructed in 2005 by Houston Eng, stands at 67 feet high and spans 700 feet in length, serving to control water flow and mitigate potential flooding in the area. The creek has a drainage area of 21 square miles and a storage capacity of 1950 acre-feet.
State-regulated and inspected, Lazarus Creek dam is deemed to have a significant hazard potential with a fair condition assessment as of 2018. The spillway, which is uncontrolled, has a width of 450 feet and is designed to manage excess water during periods of high flow. While the risk assessment for the dam is moderate, with a rating of 3, there is a need for ongoing monitoring and risk management measures to ensure the safety and stability of the structure. Overall, Lazarus Creek plays a critical role in safeguarding the surrounding community from flooding events and underscores the importance of proactive water resource management in the face of a changing climate.
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 Lazarus Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Sioux River Near Bruce | 250 cfs | → |
| Lac Qui Parle River Near Lac Qui Parle | 203 cfs | → |
| Big Sioux R Near Castlewood Sd | 82 cfs | → |
| Redwood River Near Marshall | 20 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River Near Lac Qui Parle | 1,130 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River At Montevideo | 1,530 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lazarus Creek.
Boat launches
- Deuel County
- West Cottage Avenue Hendricks
- County Road 14 1104, Lincoln County
- Brookings County
- Picnic Point Road Lincoln County
Track Lazarus Creek 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 Lazarus Creek
Where does the data for Lazarus Creek 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 Significant 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 Lazarus Creek.