Black Dog Lake dam
Black Dog Lake
Black Dog Lake, located in Burnsville, Minnesota, is a gravity dam constructed in 1953 with a primary purpose of water resource management. Owned by a public utility, this dam on the Minnesota River-Tr River has a height of 20 feet and a length of 120 feet, creating a storage capacity of 3,550 acre-feet and a surface area of 530 acres. With a low hazard potential and a condition assessment that is not rated, this dam plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and preventing flood risks in the region.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Black Dog Lake is subject to state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam's structure, with a buttress core type and unlisted/unknown foundation, has a normal storage capacity of 1,618 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 6,250 cubic feet per second. Despite not being rated in terms of condition assessment, the dam's last inspection was conducted in January 2012, with a scheduled frequency of every 8 years, highlighting the commitment to monitoring and maintaining this essential water resource infrastructure.
With Angie Craig as the Congressional representative for the area, Black Dog Lake serves as a vital component of the water management system in Dakota County, Minnesota. As climate change impacts water resources, the proper regulation and maintenance of dams like Black Dog Lake are crucial for ensuring water security and mitigating flood risks in the region. This gravity dam stands as a testament to the collaboration between public utilities, state agencies, and local communities in safeguarding water resources for current and future generations.
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 Black Dog Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota River At Fort Snelling State Park | 6,620 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At St. Paul | 18,100 cfs | → |
| Vermillion River Near Empire | 42 cfs | → |
| Shingle Creek At Queen Ave In Minneapolis | 19 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Below L&D #2 At Hastings | 17,800 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Near Anoka | 7,300 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Black Dog Lake.
Boat launches
- Kolstad Road Eagan
- Hidden Falls Drive St. Paul
- Lake Nokomis Boat Launch
- Chalet Road Bloomington
- Crystal Lake Road East 60, Burnsville
- Lake Harriet Boat Launch
Track Black Dog 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 Black Dog Lake
Where does the data for Black Dog 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 Black Dog Lake.