Little St Germain dam
Little St Germain
Little St Germain is a historic hydroelectric dam located in Vilas, Wisconsin, along the picturesque Little St Germain River. Built in 1908, this gravity dam stands at 8.5 feet tall and boasts a storage capacity of 11,364 acre-feet. With a primary purpose of flood risk reduction and hydroelectric power generation, the dam plays a vital role in managing water resources in the area.
Managed by a public utility, Little St Germain Dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and undergoes inspections every three years to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite being classified as having a low hazard potential, the dam is considered to have a very high risk due to its age and condition assessment being unavailable. Emergency action plans are in place, although they have not been updated recently. The dam's controlled spillway and slide gate outlet demonstrate its commitment to effective water management and flood control.
Overall, Little St Germain Dam serves as a historic landmark and a key component in the water resource infrastructure of Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its role in flood risk reduction, hydroelectric power generation, and water management highlights the importance of maintaining and monitoring such structures to ensure the safety and well-being of the surrounding community and environment.
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 St Germain -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge Creek Near St. Germain | 9 cfs | → |
| Muskellunge Ck-Muskellunge L Otl-Nr Eagle River | 2 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River @ Rainbow Lake Nr Lake Tomahawk | 657 cfs | → |
| Allequash Creek Site 3 Near Boulder Junction | 4 cfs | → |
| Allequash Creek At Cth M Nr Boulder Junction | 11 cfs | → |
| Stevenson Creek At Cth M Nr Boulder Junction | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Little St Germain .
Boat launches
- County Road O Town Of Newbold
- Little Saint Germain Lake -- Boat Ramp
- South Rainbow Drive Town Of Newbold
- Sunny Lane 6695, Town Of Cloverland
- Found Lake -- Access At Se Side Of Lake (Off Kleppe Rd)
- North Nokomis Lake -- Access
Campgrounds
- East Star Lake Campground
- West Star Lake Campground
- Razorback Lake Campground
- Laurel Lake
- Laurel Lake Recreation Area
- Anvil Lake Recreation Area
Fishing spots
Track Little St Germain 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 St Germain
Where does the data for Little St Germain 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 Little St Germain .