Sunday Lake Dam dam
Sunday Lake Dam
Sunday Lake Dam, located in Planter, Michigan, is a gravity dam on the Little Black River with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1915, this dam stands at a height of 10 feet and has a hydraulic height of 9 feet, providing a storage capacity of 1100 acre-feet. With a surface area of 220 acres and a drainage area of 26 square miles, Sunday Lake Dam offers a picturesque setting for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy various recreational activities.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Sunday Lake Dam has a low hazard potential and is deemed to be in satisfactory condition as of the last inspection in September 2018. The dam features a controlled spillway with a width of 118 feet, ensuring the safety and stability of the structure. Despite its very high risk assessment rating of 1, the dam has no associated locks and has not undergone any modifications in recent years, highlighting its reliability and consistent performance.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Sunday Lake Dam serves as a vital component in the region's water management infrastructure, providing both recreational opportunities and essential flood control measures. Its historical significance and ongoing maintenance efforts make it a key feature in the ecosystem of Gogebic County, Michigan, showcasing the importance of sustainable water resource management in mitigating the impacts of climate change on local communities.
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 Sunday Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black River Near Bessemer | 102 cfs | → |
| Presque Isle River Near Tula | 66 cfs | → |
| West Branch Ontonagon River Near Bergland | 93 cfs | → |
| Cisco Branch Ontonagon R At Cisco Lake Outlet | 39 cfs | → |
| Bear River Near Manitowish Waters | 77 cfs | → |
| North Creek @ Trout Lake Nr Boulder Junction | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sunday Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Eddy Park Road Wakefield
- County Road C Hurley
- Fs 8300 Marenisco Township
- Park Street 1, Montreal
- Fs 8100 Bessemer Township
Campgrounds
- Eddy Park Campground
- Henry Lake Campground
- Black River Harbor Campground
- Black River Harbor Recreation Area
- Preque Isle State Campground
- Bobcat Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Track Sunday Lake 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 Sunday Lake Dam
Where does the data for Sunday Lake 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 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 Sunday Lake Dam.