Nestled along the wooded shores of Mina Lake, Mina Recreation Area is a water-lover's haven with plenty of room for boating, fishing and swimming. When you leave the water, a spacious campground, hiking trail, and several picnic areas provide hours of family fun.
Mina was one of the first man-made lakes in northeast South Dakota. Its beginning dates back to the 1930s, when area residents sought relief from years of drought.
In 1934, the Mina Dam was completed and the lake was named Shake Maza, a Lakota word for "shaped like a horseshoe." The name never quite caught-on, however, and it was later renamed in honor of a railroad president's daughter.
In, 2019, a localized large rain even caused severe damage to the spillway and temporary repairs were made in 2020. It was recommended by our consultant engineering firm the spillway be replaced as soon as possible as a long-term solution. Mina Lake Dam is considered a high hazard dam based on the damage it could cause if a breach were to occur. Spillway design is nearing completion and the department would like to provide information to the public about the logistics and how it may affect outdoor recreation and the property owners along the lake. A temporary draw down will be necessary for a contractor to perform the work that includes a diversion channel and complete spillway replacement. Lake elevations, spillway design, wildlife and fisheries management, lake access, construction timelines, road closures, and several other impacts will be addressed in the department’s presentation.
The purpose of the Mina Lake Drawdown map is to display changes in shoreline at Mina Lake during the future drawdown.
The map extent shows imagery of Mina Lake and surrounding land. The map begins with two elements opened. They are the Legend and the Layer List. The Legend List shows the layers of the map and their identifying color. The Layer List allows you to turn on and off different layers by checking or unchecking the box next to the layer name. For example, to display only the Exposed Shoreline at 3ft Drawdown layer simply uncheck all other layers. The map will now only show exposed shoreline after 3ft of drawdown. To turn make all layers visible again, check each box next to the layer name. Next to the layer list is the measurement tool. It is represented by a ruler icon. Selecting it will open a third element that allows for measuring distance and area as well as generating location coordinates.
Open: Year-round. Between Oct. 1 and April 30, showers, flush toilets and other water systems may be closed. Please contact the park directly for current status. Vault toilets usually remain open.
Park Size: 38 campsites, 1 camping cabin and 1 modern cabin
Directions: 12 miles west of Aberdeen off US Hwy 12
Nearest Town: Mina
Make reservation online or call 1.800.710.2267.
