Blickensderfer Dam; Paul dam
Blickensderfer Dam; Paul
Blickensderfer Dam, located in Hettinger, North Dakota, is a private earth dam with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1975 by the USDA NRCS, this dam stands at 22.5 feet tall and has a storage capacity of 120 acre-feet. The dam is situated on Mehrer Creek and is regulated by the North Dakota State Water Commission, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance.
With a spillway width of 67 feet and an uncontrolled spillway type, Blickensderfer Dam has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating. It is equipped with a single valve outlet gate for water release. The dam has not been rated for its condition assessment, and emergency action plans and inundation maps are not currently in place. Despite these gaps in preparedness, the dam continues to provide recreational opportunities in the area and serves as an important water resource within the community.
Overall, Blickensderfer Dam is a vital structure in St. Paul District, offering both recreational benefits and water storage capacity for the surrounding area. With its unique design and location on Mehrer Creek, the dam plays a significant role in water management and climate resilience efforts in North Dakota. As efforts to enhance risk management measures continue, this dam remains a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts seeking to understand the intersection of infrastructure, recreation, and environmental stewardship.
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 Blickensderfer Dam; Paul -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek Nr Haynes | 3 cfs | → |
| Cannonball River At Regent | 5 cfs | → |
| Heart R Ab Lake Tschida Nr Glen Ullin | 22 cfs | → |
| Heart River Nr Richardton | 19 cfs | → |
| Antelope Creek Nr Carson | 1 cfs | → |
| North Fork Grand R Near White Butte Sd | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blickensderfer Dam; Paul.
Track Blickensderfer Dam; Paul 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 Blickensderfer Dam; Paul
Where does the data for Blickensderfer Dam; Paul 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 Blickensderfer Dam; Paul.