Slim Creek dam
Slim Creek
Slim Creek, located in Washburn, Wisconsin, is a gravity dam completed in 1936 with a primary purpose of recreation. With a height of 15 feet and a storage capacity of 850 acre-feet, this dam serves as a vital water resource for the local community. The dam also boasts a controlled spillway and a maximum discharge of 700 cubic feet per second, ensuring effective water management in the area.
Despite its fair condition assessment, Slim Creek's hazard potential is classified as high, indicating the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. The risk assessment labels it as very high, underlining the importance of implementing risk management measures to mitigate potential dangers. With its scenic location and recreational opportunities, Slim Creek serves as both a valuable water resource and a potential risk management challenge for the community.
Managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Slim Creek offers a glimpse into the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, understanding and safeguarding dams like Slim Creek becomes increasingly crucial for ensuring sustainable water management practices in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 Slim Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa River At Bishops Bridge Near Winter | 600 cfs | → |
| Chippewa River Near Bruce | 1,200 cfs | → |
| Namekagon River At Leonards | 154 cfs | → |
| Flambeau River Near Bruce | 2,210 cfs | → |
| St. Croix River Near Danbury | 1,320 cfs | → |
| Jump River At Sheldon | 1,070 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Slim Creek.
Boat launches
- Slim Creek Flowage -- Access
- Slim Lake -- Access
- Birchwood Fire Lane Town Of Birchwood
- Superior Lake -- Ramp
- Spring Lake -- Access Nr Golden Pond Ln
- Sawmill Lake -- Access
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Forest Road 162 Crossing To Bridge On Blaisdell Lake
- East Forest Boundary To Forest Road 162 Crossing
More reservoirs
Track Slim Creek 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 Slim Creek
Where does the data for Slim Creek 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 High 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 Slim Creek.