Sucker Creek Dam dam
Sucker Creek Dam
Sucker Creek Dam, located in Ontonagon, Michigan, is a privately owned structure that serves as a vital component for hydroelectric power generation. The dam, primarily constructed of earth, stands at a height of 15 feet and spans 420 feet in length. With a maximum storage capacity of 360 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 240 acre-feet, Sucker Creek Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management within the region.
Managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (DEGLE), Sucker Creek Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its structural integrity and compliance with safety standards. Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is subject to moderate risk due to its location and characteristics. While last inspected in 2006, the dam's emergency action plan and risk management measures are yet to be updated or fully delineated.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Sucker Creek Dam presents an intriguing case study in the intersection of water infrastructure, energy production, and environmental stewardship in Michigan. The dam's role in hydroelectric power generation, coupled with its state-regulated status and moderate risk classification, highlights the complex challenges and opportunities associated with managing water resources in a changing climate. As efforts to enhance resilience and sustainability in water management continue to evolve, the case of Sucker Creek Dam offers valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of balancing human needs with ecological integrity in a key waterway of the Upper Peninsula.
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 Sucker Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bond Falls Canal Near Paulding | 91 cfs | → |
| Middle Branch Ontonagon River Near Paulding | 166 cfs | → |
| Cisco Branch Ontonagon R At Cisco Lake Outlet | 39 cfs | → |
| West Branch Ontonagon River Near Bergland | 69 cfs | → |
| Ontonagon River Near Rockland | 823 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 Sucker Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- Us 45 Haight Township
- Fs 5086-N Haight Township
- Fs 5350 Interior Township
- Us 45 Watersmeet
- Black Bear Road Watersmeet Township
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- South Branch,Confluence Of Cisco Branch And Tenmile Creek To Confluence With West Branch
- West Branch, Mi State Highway 28 To Cascade Falls
- Net River Mainstem, Confluence With East/West Branches To Confluence With The Mainstem Paint River
- From Wagner Lake In Sec 13, T49n, R31w To Eastern Boundary Of The Ottawa Nf In Sec 12, T48n, R35@
- West Branch Net River, From Its Source In Sec 35, T48n, R34w To Confluence With Mainstem Net River In Sec 24, T46n, R34w
- North Branch--Butternut Lake To Confluence With Main Branch
Track Sucker Creek 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 Sucker Creek Dam
Where does the data for Sucker Creek 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 Sucker Creek Dam.