Amherst Twp 20 dam
Amherst Twp 20
Amherst Twp 20 is a privately owned dam located in Fillmore County, Minnesota, specifically in the city of Houston. This dam, which is classified as a Rockfill type with a height of 17.8 feet, serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Root River South Fork. It has a storage capacity of 50.2 acre-feet and covers a drainage area of 1 square mile. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its safety and effectiveness in managing floodwaters.
The dam at Amherst Twp 20 was last inspected in May 2018, with a regular inspection frequency of 8 years. While its condition assessment is currently listed as "Not Rated," the dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and inundation maps are all marked as pending or unspecified. With no associated structures or federal agency involvement, this dam is solely managed by its private owner for flood risk reduction purposes. The presence of this structure contributes to the overall water resource management efforts in the area, showcasing the collaboration between private owners and state regulatory agencies to protect communities from potential flood hazards.
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 Amherst Twp 20 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Root River Near Pilot Mound | 393 cfs | → |
| Upper Iowa River At Bluffton | 252 cfs | → |
| South Fork Root River Near Houston | 158 cfs | → |
| Root River Near Houston | 829 cfs | → |
| Upper Iowa River At Decorah | 344 cfs | → |
| Upper Iowa River Near Dorchester | 619 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Amherst Twp 20.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- North Park Campground
- Sylvan City Park
- Riverview City Campground
- Highway 250 Campground
- Fillmore County Fairgrounds Campgrounds
- Eagle Cliff Campground & Lodging
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- The Minnesota-Iowa State Border To Ends Near The Town Of Bluffton, Iowa
- The Town Of Bluffton To The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek
- The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek To Lane's Bridge
- Western Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument To Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument
Track Amherst Twp 20 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 Amherst Twp 20
Where does the data for Amherst Twp 20 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 Amherst Twp 20.