Elk River

About Elk River

The primary purpose of Elk River is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Elk River (local government). It impounds the Elk River near Elk River.

The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 207 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 300 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 234 square miles. Completed in 1916, the structure is over a century old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/23/2024.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Minnesota dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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