Little Falls dam
Little Falls
Little Falls, also known as Upper Power, is a state-owned dam located on the Willow River in St. Croix, Wisconsin. Completed in 1895, this gravity dam stands at 30 feet tall and stretches 370 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 1700 acre-feet. The dam primarily serves for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 172 acres for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
With a high hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Little Falls poses a significant risk, especially considering its very high risk assessment rating. Despite regular state inspections and regulatory oversight by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the dam remains a potential safety concern. Emergency action plans have been prepared, but there is room for improvement in meeting guidelines and ensuring the safety of the surrounding community in the event of a dam failure.
Located just 2 miles from Hudson, Little Falls is not only a historical landmark but also a critical piece of infrastructure in need of careful monitoring and management. As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the importance of maintaining and upgrading dams like Little Falls becomes increasingly evident to ensure the safety and sustainability of our water systems.
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 Little Falls -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Willow River @ Willow R State Park Nr Burkhardt | 130 cfs | → |
| Kinnickinnic River Near River Falls | 91 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Prescott | 22,200 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River Below L&D #2 At Hastings | 17,800 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At St. Paul | 18,100 cfs | → |
| Eau Galle River At Spring Valley | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Little Falls.
Boat launches
- Willow River - Little Falls Flowage -- Access
- Perch Lake -- Access
- Saint Croix River -- North Hudson Ferry Landing Park
- Lake Mallalieu -- Access
- Saint Croix River -- Hudson Town Landing (Lakefront Park)
- Saint Croix Lake -- King Landing
Campgrounds
- Willow River State Park
- Willow River State Park Campground
- Apple River Family Campground
- Lake Elmo County Park Preserve
- Afton State Park River Side
- Afton State Park Back Country Campground
More reservoirs
Track Little 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 Little Falls
Where does the data for Little 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 Little Falls.