Dresser Valley Watershed dam
Dresser Valley Watershed
The Dresser Valley Watershed, located in Zumbro Falls, Minnesota, is a privately-owned structure designed by USDA NRCS to address flood risk reduction along the Zumbro River. Completed in 1967, this earth dam stands at a height of 26 feet and has a length of 434 feet, providing a storage capacity of 128 acre-feet. With a drainage area of 0.6 square miles, the dam has a maximum discharge capacity of 380 cubic feet per second, making it a vital component in managing water flow in the region.
Managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Dresser Valley Watershed dam is state-regulated and subject to regular inspection and enforcement to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. Despite being classified as low hazard potential, the dam's risk assessment indicates a moderate level of risk, emphasizing the importance of continued monitoring and management measures. The structure's emergency action plan status and inundation maps preparation remain unaddressed, highlighting areas for potential improvement in emergency response readiness.
In the heart of Olmsted County, the Dresser Valley Watershed serves as a crucial asset in mitigating flood risks and protecting the surrounding community from water-related disasters. With its strategic location and design, this earth dam underscores the importance of sustainable water resource management strategies in safeguarding the environment and enhancing climate resilience in the region.
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 Dresser Valley Watershed -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Zumbro River At Rochester | 159 cfs | → |
| Zumbro River At Kellogg | 1,550 cfs | → |
| Root River Near Pilot Mound | 393 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Red Wing | 19,400 cfs | → |
| Cannon River At Welch | 713 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Winona | 30,900 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dresser Valley Watershed.
Boat launches
- Boat Launch Olmsted County
- Mississippi River -- Deer Island Landing
- Route 61/Route 63 Lake City
- Mississippi River -- Pepin Town Landing
- Mississippi River -- Stockholm
- Mississippi River -- Indian Slough Landing
Campgrounds
- Camp Grounds
- Oronococ City Park
- Chester Woods/Kisrow County Park
- Group Site 2 (Grp2)
- Group Site 1 (Grp1)
- Carley State Park
Fishing spots
- Dacota Street Fishing Pier
- Huff Street Fishing Pier
- Franklin St. Fishing Pier
- Bigalks Creek
- Coldwater Creek
Track Dresser Valley Watershed 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 Dresser Valley Watershed
Where does the data for Dresser Valley Watershed 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 Dresser Valley Watershed.