Esquagama Lake
Esquagama Lake is a gravity dam located in St. Louis County, Minnesota, built in 1937. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Esquagama Lake
The primary purpose of Esquagama Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Mndnr (state). It impounds the Embarrass River near Peary.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 125 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 453 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 17,768 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 159 square miles. Completed in 1937, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 08/16/2017.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | St. Louis |
| Nearest City | Peary |
| River/Stream | Embarrass River |
| Coordinates | 47.45796, -92.37569 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 125 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 17,768 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 17,768 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 16,570 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 453 acres |
| Drainage Area | 159 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,450 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | MNDNR |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/16/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00099 |
| Federal ID | MN00099 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |