Hardwood Dam dam
Hardwood Dam
Hardwood Dam, also known as East Br Sturgeon Structure No 2, is a significant earth dam located in Hardwood, Michigan. Built in 1977 by the USDA NRCS, this dam serves as a crucial flood risk reduction structure along the East Branch Sturgeon River. Standing at a height of 37 feet with a length of 700 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 19,510 acre-feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 7,321 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Michigan DEGLE, Hardwood Dam plays a vital role in protecting the surrounding area from potential flooding events. Despite its significant hazard potential, the dam is in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in 2017. With a moderate risk assessment rating, the dam is actively monitored and maintained to ensure its continued effectiveness in flood risk reduction. Water resource and climate enthusiasts will appreciate the engineering and environmental considerations that go into managing such a crucial infrastructure.
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 Hardwood Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Menominee River Near Vulcan | 3,370 cfs | → |
| Menominee River At Twin Falls Near Iron Mt | 3,420 cfs | → |
| Menominee River At Niagara | 2,950 cfs | → |
| Escanaba River At Cornell | 849 cfs | → |
| Menominee River Near Florence | 2,130 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Escanaba River Nr Princeton | 293 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hardwood Dam.
Boat launches
- Fordville Road Breen Township
- Pickeral Lake Road Felch Township
- Gene's Pond Road Felch Township
- Six Mile Lake Road Felch Township
- Burgens Backwater Road Waucedah Township
- Rock Lake Boating Access Site Norway Township
Campgrounds
- Gene's Pond State Forest Campground
- West Branch State Forest Campground
- Summer Breeze Campground
- Anderson Lake West State Forest Campground
- Bass Lake State Forest Campground (Marquette)
- River Bends Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Mainstem, Easternforest Boundary In Sec 1, T44n, R35w To City Of Crystal Falls
- Brule Lake In Ne1/4 Sec 15, T41n, R13e To Forest Boundary In Se1/4 Sec 31, T41n, R17e
- West Branch From Source In Sec 26, T46n, R23 W To Junction With County Road 444
- Forest Road 2156 To Eastern Forest Boundary
- Forest Road 2398 To Eastern Forest Boundary
- Forest Road 2133 To Forest Road 2156
Track Hardwood Dam 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 Hardwood Dam
Where does the data for Hardwood Dam 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 Hardwood Dam.