Tetonka Ridge dam
Tetonka Ridge
Tetonka Ridge, located in Lincoln County, Minnesota, is a rockfill dam with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the Medary Creek-TR. The dam stands at a height of 52 feet with a length of 400 feet, providing a storage capacity of 52 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is state-regulated and subject to regular inspections, enforcement, and permitting by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, ensuring its structural integrity and safety measures are up to date.
The dam's design includes a buttress core type and is situated in an area with a drainage area of 0.58 square miles. With a normal storage capacity of 12 acre-feet and a surface area of 4 acres, Tetonka Ridge plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the region. While the dam's condition assessment is currently not rated, its last inspection in May 2019 indicated a low hazard potential, highlighting its importance in safeguarding the surrounding area from potential flooding events.
As a private-owned structure, Tetonka Ridge stands as a key component in the flood risk reduction efforts in the area, showcasing the collaboration between private owners and state regulatory agencies to ensure the safety and resilience of water resources in Minnesota. With its strategic location and design features, Tetonka Ridge serves as a vital asset in protecting the community from potential flooding disasters, underlining the importance of proactive dam management and regulatory oversight in safeguarding water resources and climate resilience.
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 Tetonka Ridge -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Sioux River Near Bruce | 250 cfs | → |
| Big Sioux River Near Brookings Sd | 280 cfs | → |
| Flandreau Cr Above Flandreau Sd | 1 cfs | → |
| Redwood River Near Marshall | 20 cfs | → |
| Big Sioux R Near Castlewood Sd | 82 cfs | → |
| Skunk Cr Nr Chester Sd | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Tetonka Ridge.
Boat launches
- Brookings County
- County Road 14 1104, Lincoln County
- Picnic Point Road Lincoln County
- West Cottage Avenue Hendricks
- Deuel County
- Sunset Road Brookings County
Track Tetonka Ridge 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 Tetonka Ridge
Where does the data for Tetonka Ridge 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 Tetonka Ridge.