Cedar Lake dam
Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota, is a state-regulated body of water fed by the Clearwater River. This picturesque lake, located in the city of Annandale, is surrounded by natural beauty and offers a serene environment for water resource and climate enthusiasts to explore. The dam at Cedar Lake, completed in 1963, serves a primary purpose that falls under the "Other" category, with a low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment.
With a dam height of 6.1 feet and a normal storage capacity of 18,150 acre-feet, Cedar Lake covers a surface area of 774 acres and has a drainage area of 14.6 square miles. The lake provides recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, and water resource management benefits to the local community. The dam, a gravity-type structure with a buttress core, plays a crucial role in controlling water levels and ensuring the safety and stability of the surrounding area.
As a part of the St. Paul District, Cedar Lake is subject to state permitting, inspection, and enforcement by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Ecological and Water Resources division. The dam's last inspection took place in October 2015, with a scheduled inspection frequency of 8 years. Despite its low hazard potential, Cedar Lake remains an important water resource for the region, contributing to the overall environmental health and well-being of the area.
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 Cedar Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River At St. Cloud | 6,080 cfs | → |
| Elk River Near Big Lake | 259 cfs | → |
| Sauk River Near St. Cloud | 587 cfs | → |
| Crow River At Rockford | 1,770 cfs | → |
| Elm Creek Nr Champlin | 25 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Anoka | 7,850 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cedar Lake.
Boat launches
- State Highway 24 Clearwater
- County Road 35 West Buffalo
- Us 10 Sherburne County
- Lake Boulevard South Buffalo
- Eclipse Road 9771, Stearns County
- 126th Avenue 17974, Stearns County
Campgrounds
- Schroeder County Park Campgrounds
- Lake Maria State Park Campground
- Stanley Eddy Memorial Park Reserv (North)
- Stanley Eddy Regional Park Reserve South
- Warner Lake Cp--East Bicycle Camp
- St. Cloud Clearwater Rv Park
Track Cedar 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 Cedar Lake
Where does the data for Cedar 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 Cedar Lake.