Highwater Ethanol dam
Highwater Ethanol
Highwater Ethanol is a private ethanol plant located in Lamberton, Minnesota, along the Pell Creek. With a dam completed in 2015 for water supply purposes, the facility has a low hazard potential and is in satisfactory condition as of the last assessment in 2017. Managed by DRG Engineering, the dam has a height of 12 feet and a storage capacity of 103 acre-feet, serving as a vital resource for the plant's operations.
The dam at Highwater Ethanol plays a crucial role in supporting the facility's water supply needs, with a normal storage capacity of 76 acre-feet and a surface area of 3.4 acres. The structure is regulated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring compliance with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement standards. Despite its small drainage area of 0.01 square miles, the dam provides essential water resources for the plant's ethanol production operations.
Located in Redwood County, Minnesota, Highwater Ethanol's dam on Pell Creek enhances the facility's sustainability by securing a reliable water source. With Collin Peterson as the district's representative, the plant operates under state jurisdiction and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and functionality. As a key player in the region's ethanol industry, Highwater Ethanol exemplifies the intersection of water resource management and climate-conscious practices in the production of renewable energy.
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 Highwater Ethanol -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood River Near Redwood Falls | 194 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River At Morton | 2,390 cfs | → |
| Redwood River Near Marshall | 40 cfs | → |
| Yellow Medicine River Near Granite Falls | 153 cfs | → |
| Minnesota River At New Ulm | 2,730 cfs | → |
| Cottonwood River Near New Ulm | 495 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Highwater Ethanol.
Track Highwater Ethanol 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 Highwater Ethanol
Where does the data for Highwater Ethanol 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 Highwater Ethanol.