Crooked Creek S1-B dam
Crooked Creek S1-B
Crooked Creek S1-B is a local government-owned earth dam located in Houston, Minnesota, designed by the USDA NRCS with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. Completed in 1966, this buttress dam stands at a height of 21 feet and a length of 280 feet, with a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet and a drainage area of 0.3 square miles. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its structural integrity and safety.
Situated on the Crooked Creek North Fork, this dam plays a crucial role in managing floodwaters and protecting the surrounding area from potential inundation. With a maximum discharge capacity of 160 cubic feet per second, the dam's uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates help control the flow of water during periods of high precipitation. The dam's moderate risk assessment highlights the importance of ongoing risk management measures to mitigate potential threats and ensure the continued safety and effectiveness of the structure.
As a key component of the local flood control infrastructure, Crooked Creek S1-B serves as a vital resource for the community of Houston, Minnesota, and the broader region. Through regular inspections and maintenance, as well as adherence to state regulations and enforcement measures, this dam exemplifies the collaborative efforts between local governments and regulatory agencies to safeguard water resources and mitigate the impacts of climate variability on the surrounding 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 Crooked Creek S1-B -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Fork Root River Near Houston | 182 cfs | → |
| Root River Near Houston | 829 cfs | → |
| Upper Iowa River Near Dorchester | 607 cfs | → |
| La Crosse River Near La Crosse | 439 cfs | → |
| Black River Near Galesville | 1,220 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Winona | 35,800 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Crooked Creek S1-B.
Boat launches
- Mississippi River -- Stoddard Park Landing
- Mississippi River/Wigwam Slough -- Hunters Point Landing (South Goose Island)
- Mississippi River/Wigwam Slough - Goose Island Boat Ramp (North)
- Millstone Landing Houston County
- County Road Gi Town Of Shelby
- Mississippi River -- Genoa Harbor
Campgrounds
- Upper Reno Pack In Campground
- Camper Cabin
- Beaver Creek Valley Campground
- Hike In Site
- Wildcat Park
- Reno Horse Camp
Fishing spots
- New Albin Big Lake
- French Creek
- Pine Creek
- Franklin St. Fishing Pier
- Huff Street Fishing Pier
- Dacota Street Fishing Pier
Paddle runs
- The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek To Lane's Bridge
- The Town Of Bluffton To The "Lower" Dam, Near The Confluence Of Coon Creek
- The Minnesota-Iowa State Border To Ends Near The Town Of Bluffton, Iowa
- Western Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument To Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument
- The Big Green River To The River's Mouth At The Mississippi River
Track Crooked Creek S1-B 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 Crooked Creek S1-B
Where does the data for Crooked Creek S1-B 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 Crooked Creek S1-B.