Cottonwood Lake

Cottonwood Lake is a gravity dam located in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, built in 1938. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Cottonwood Lake

The primary purpose of Cottonwood Lake is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Mndnr (state). It impounds the Big Cobb River-tr near Beauford.

The dam stands 7 feet tall and stretches 625 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 213 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,172 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 06/15/2016.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMinnesota
CountyBlue Earth
Nearest CityBeauford
River/StreamBig Cobb River-tr
Coordinates43.94203, -93.86203

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height7 ft
Dam Height6 ft
Dam Length625 ft
Year Completed1938 (88 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,172 acre-ft
Max Storage1,172 acre-ft
Normal Storage533 acre-ft
Surface Area213 acres
Drainage Area1 sq mi
Max Discharge359 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFish and Wildlife Pond
OwnerMNDNR
Owner TypeState
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection06/15/2016
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMN00071
Federal IDMN00071
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

Nearby Dams