Saint Croix Falls dam
Saint Croix Falls
Saint Croix Falls, located in Polk, Wisconsin, is a privately owned dam on the St. Croix River with a primary purpose of hydroelectric power generation. This arch dam, completed in 1905, stands at 60 feet tall and has a hydraulic height of 64 feet. With a storage capacity of 27,500 acre-feet, it serves both hydroelectric and recreational purposes, making it a valuable resource for the surrounding area.
Despite its age, Saint Croix Falls is in fair condition with a high hazard potential. The dam has a controlled spillway and a maximum discharge capacity of 87,000 cubic feet per second. It is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, ensuring proper maintenance and operation to mitigate any potential risks. The dam's risk assessment indicates a very high risk level, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and management to safeguard the surrounding community and environment.
As a key component of the local water resource infrastructure, Saint Croix Falls plays a crucial role in balancing water storage and release while generating clean energy. With its historical significance and ongoing regulatory oversight, the dam stands as both a symbol of past engineering achievements and a vital contributor to the region's water resource management efforts in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Saint Croix Falls -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| St. Croix River At St. Croix Falls | 3,830 cfs | → |
| Willow River @ Willow R State Park Nr Burkhardt | 130 cfs | → |
| Snake River Near Pine City | 447 cfs | → |
| Rum River Near St. Francis | 428 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Near Anoka | 7,300 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Anoka | 5,730 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Saint Croix Falls.
Boat launches
- North Hamilton Street 401, St. Croix Falls
- Saint Croix River -- St. Croix Falls Lions Park
- Saint Croix River -- Wisconsin Interstate Park
- Poplar Lake -- Access
- St. Croix River - Franconia, Mn Landing
- Deer Lake -- Boat Ramp Hwy 35
Campgrounds
- Interstate State Park Wi - North Campground
- Interstate State Park
- Interstate Park
- Interstate State Park Wi - South Campground
- Interstate State Park Wi - Group Campground
- Interstate State Park Mn - Primitive Group Camp
Paddle runs
Track Saint Croix Falls 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 Saint Croix Falls
Where does the data for Saint Croix Falls 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 Saint Croix Falls.