Rice Lake is an earth dam located in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, built in 1945. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 9 ft9 ft tall and 90 ft long. 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 Rice Lake
The primary purpose of Rice 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-wildlife (state). It impounds the County Ditch 88 near St. Clair.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 90 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 480 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8 square miles. Completed in 1945, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 07/24/2024.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Blue Earth |
| Nearest City | St. Clair |
| River/Stream | County Ditch 88 |
| Coordinates | 44.04981, -93.88163 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Height | 7 ft |
| Dam Length | 90 ft |
| Year Completed | 1945 (81 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 480 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 850 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Mndnr-wildlife |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/24/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00920 |
| Federal ID | MN00920 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |