Burns dam
Burns
Burns, a private dam located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was designed by the USDA NRCS and completed in 1896. This gravity dam on Burns Creek serves primarily for recreation purposes, with a dam height of 16 feet and a length of 100 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet and a normal storage of 30 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 11 acres and draining a 17-square mile area.
Managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Burns is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced at the state level. With a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, the dam has not been rated for its current condition. Despite being last inspected in 2010, the dam meets state guidelines and is equipped with emergency action plans, although details such as last revision date and inundation maps are unavailable. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, with a maximum discharge capacity of 3820 cubic feet per second.
Burns dam, nestled in the St. Paul District of Wisconsin, remains a picturesque site for recreation enthusiasts while also serving as a critical water resource in the region. Its rich history dating back over a century, coupled with its strategic location and state-of-the-art design by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, make Burns a significant landmark in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the area.
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 Burns -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| La Crosse River At Sparta | 211 cfs | → |
| La Crosse River Near La Crosse | 397 cfs | → |
| Black River Near Galesville | 1,350 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At State Highway 33 At Ontario | 149 cfs | → |
| Black River Ds St Hwy 54 @ Black River Falls | 770 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At La Farge | 234 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Burns.
Boat launches
- State Highway 162 Bangor
- Neshonoc Lake -- Access
- Neshonoc Lake -- Swarthout Park Boat Ramp
- Black River -- North Bend Access
- Lake Onalaska Mississippi River -- Fishermans Road
- Black River/Mississippi River -- Fisherman Road Landing
Campgrounds
- Neshonoc Lakeside Camp Resort
- Veterans Memorial Park - West Salem
- Veterans Memorial County Park & Campground
- Leon Valley Campground
- Sparta Walk-In Campground
- Pine View Military - Fort Mccoy
Fishing spots
- Franklin St. Fishing Pier
- Huff Street Fishing Pier
- Dacota Street Fishing Pier
- New Albin Big Lake
- French Creek
- Pine Creek
Paddle runs
More reservoirs
Track Burns 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 Burns
Where does the data for Burns 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 Burns.