Altoona dam
Altoona
Altoona, located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is home to a significant water resource - the Eau Claire River. The dam in Altoona serves a primary purpose of recreation and was completed in 1938. With a height of 44 feet and a storage capacity of 14,000 acre-feet, the dam provides vital water storage for the area. The dam has a controlled spillway with a width of 111 feet, ensuring the safe release of excess water during periods of high flow.
Despite being a recreational dam, Altoona's structure poses a high hazard potential, requiring frequent inspections to ensure its safety. The dam's condition assessment as of February 2019 was deemed satisfactory, but the risk assessment remains very high. Emergency action plans have been prepared, but there is room for improvement in meeting guidelines and updating contact information. Altoona's dam serves as a critical water management tool for the region, highlighting the importance of ongoing risk management measures and infrastructure maintenance for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and support.
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 Altoona -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa River At Chippewa Falls | 3,370 cfs | → |
| Red Cedar River Near Colfax | 841 cfs | → |
| Red Cedar River At Menomonie | 1,550 cfs | → |
| Hay River At Wheeler | 323 cfs | → |
| Chippewa River At Durand | 8,090 cfs | → |
| Eau Galle River At Spring Valley | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Altoona.
Boat launches
- Lake Altoona -- Access Off Indian Hills Dr
- Lake Altoona -- Access Off Kewin St
- Dells Pond -- Access
- Chippewa River -- Hobbs Landing
- Halfmoon Lake -- Access
- Lake Hallie -- Access
Campgrounds
- Fair Hill Campgounds
- Fair Hill County Campground
- Lake Wissota State Park
- Lake Wissota State Park Campground
- Harstad Park
- Hoffman's Hills
Fishing spots
More reservoirs
Track Altoona 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 Altoona
Where does the data for Altoona 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 Altoona.