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.
Dam profile
NID height · 7 ft7 ft tall and 625 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
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. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Blue Earth |
| Nearest City | Beauford |
| River/Stream | Big Cobb River-tr |
| Coordinates | 43.94203, -93.86203 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 7 ft |
| Dam Height | 6 ft |
| Dam Length | 625 ft |
| Year Completed | 1938 (88 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,172 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,172 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 533 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 213 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 359 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Mndnr |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/15/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00071 |
| Federal ID | MN00071 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |