Sunset Lake
Sunset Lake is an earth dam located in Dakota County, Minnesota, built in 1983. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Sunset Lake
The primary purpose of Sunset 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 City Of Burnsville (local government). It impounds the Minnesota River-tr near Burnsville.
The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 820 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1983, the structure is 43 years 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 07/10/2024.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Dakota |
| Nearest City | Burnsville |
| River/Stream | Minnesota River-tr |
| Coordinates | 44.75702, -93.32601 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Length | 820 ft |
| Year Completed | 1983 (43 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Burnsville |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Last Inspection | 07/10/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN01012 |
| Federal ID | MN01012 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |