Stinking Lake is an earth dam located in Becker County, Minnesota, built in 1992. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 29 ft29 ft tall and 1,100 ft long, taller than 65% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Stinking Lake
The primary purpose of Stinking Lake is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Wd of Buffalo-red River (local government). It impounds the Hay Creek near Hawley.
The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 1,100 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 370 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 8,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 24 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 years old.
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 07/20/2015. That was over 11 years ago.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Becker |
| Nearest City | Hawley |
| River/Stream | Hay Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.90950, -96.16613 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,100 ft |
| Year Completed | 1992 (34 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 8,300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 8,300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,552 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 370 acres |
| Drainage Area | 24 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Wd of Buffalo-red River |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/20/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00916 |
| Federal ID | MN00916 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |