Mitchell dam
Mitchell
Mitchell, located in Davison, South Dakota, is home to a significant earth dam constructed in 1928 with a height of 55 feet and a length of 1320 feet. This dam serves multiple purposes, including flood control and water storage, with a normal storage capacity of 8960 acre-feet. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, with a width of 335 feet, and it is equipped with vertical lift outlet gates. The dam is regulated by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, ensuring regular inspections and enforcement to maintain its fair condition assessment.
Despite its fair condition assessment, Mitchell Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its location and size. The dam has a drainage area of 496 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 53,100 cubic feet per second, making it crucial for effective risk management measures to be in place. The risk assessment for the dam is moderate, and it undergoes inspections every three years to monitor its overall safety and functionality. With its historical significance and ongoing regulatory oversight, Mitchell Dam remains a vital resource for water management in the region.
Managed by the local government, Mitchell Dam is an integral part of the St. Paul District's water resource infrastructure. It plays a crucial role in controlling water flow along the TR-MISSO River, contributing to the overall water management system in the area. With Congressman Dusty Johnson representing the district, the dam's maintenance and operation are under continuous scrutiny to ensure the safety and reliability of its functions. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Mitchell Dam represents a case study in the intersection of infrastructure, regulation, and environmental stewardship in managing water resources in a changing climate.
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 Mitchell -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| James R Near Mitchell Sd | 940 cfs | → |
| Firesteel Cr Near Mount Vernon Sd | 0 cfs | → |
| James R Near Forestburg Sd | 929 cfs | → |
| James R Near Scotland Sd | 1,000 cfs | → |
| James R At Huron Sd | 938 cfs | → |
| West Fork Vermillion R Near Parker Sd | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mitchell.
Track Mitchell 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 Mitchell
Where does the data for Mitchell 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 Mitchell.