Wind Lake dam
Wind Lake
Wind Lake, located in Island View, Minnesota, is a federally owned water resource managed by the Detroit District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. This 107-year-old dam, completed in 1900, stands at a height of 8 feet and has a structural height of 6 feet, with a storage capacity of 15,232 acre-feet. The primary purpose of Wind Lake is classified as "Other," and it serves as a vital component of the Basswood River-Tr watershed.
Despite being labeled as having a low hazard potential, Wind Lake has not been inspected since October 1978, with a scheduled inspection frequency of every 8 years. Its condition is currently listed as "Not Rated," indicating a need for further assessment and potential maintenance. The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and inundation maps remain unspecified, highlighting areas for improvement in its risk management and emergency preparedness protocols. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Wind Lake presents an intriguing case study for understanding the challenges and opportunities in managing aging infrastructure and ensuring the safety and sustainability of our water resources.
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 Wind Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Basswood River Near Winton | 6,330 cfs | → |
| Kawishiwi River Near Ely | 922 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi River Near Ely | 1,330 cfs | → |
| South Kawishiwi R Abv White Iron Lake Nr Ely | 1,650 cfs | → |
| Vermilion River Nr Crane Lake | 1,070 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wind Lake.
Boat launches
- Summer Home Road Lake County
- Ojibway Lake Road Lake County
- Fernberg Road Lake County
- Nels Lake Road Saint Louis County
- Fr 183 Lake County
- Echo Trail Saint Louis County
Campgrounds
- Bsa Northern Tier Charles L Sommers Canoe Base
- Tofte Lake
- Ojibway And Triangle Lakes
- Glacier Pond 2
- Campsite1 - Birch
- Fall Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Bwcaw Boundary To Confluence With Plouff Creek
- North Temperance Lake In T63n, R4w To Bwcaw Boundary In T62n, R4w
- Wolf Bay Of Lake Vermilion To Section 26, T65n, R17w
- Confluence With Plouff Creek To Lake Superior In T59n, R4w
- Section 31, T66n, R17w To Crane Lake
- Section 26, T65n, R17w To Section 31, T66n, R17w
More reservoirs
Track Wind Lake 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 Wind Lake
Where does the data for Wind Lake 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 Wind Lake.