Francis dam
Francis
Francis is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Hill City, Idaho. Built in 1914, it serves the primary purpose of irrigation for the surrounding area, with a storage capacity of 330 acre-feet and a drainage area of 3.6 square miles. The dam stands at a height of 32.5 feet, with a hydraulic height of 27 feet, and a length of 390 feet.
The dam, constructed with earth and stone core types on rock and soil foundations, poses a significant hazard potential but has been assessed to be in fair condition as of June 2020. Its spillway type is uncontrolled with a width of 8 feet, and it has an outlet gate in the form of a slide (sluice gate). The dam has a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, indicating a need for ongoing risk management and monitoring.
Francis is regulated and inspected by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement measures in place. Its location near Negro Creek and Camas Creek in Elmore County makes it a crucial part of the local water resource infrastructure. With its long history and vital role in irrigation, Francis stands as a testament to the importance of water management in the face of changing climate conditions.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Francis -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sf Boise River Nr Featherville Id | 1,470 cfs | → |
| Sf Boise River At Anderson Ranch Dam Id | 1,580 cfs | → |
| Snake River At King Hill Id | 5,980 cfs | → |
| Canyon Cr At Oregon Trail Xing Nr Mountain Home Id | 46 cfs | → |
| Camas Creek Nr Blaine Id | 11 cfs | → |
| Sf Boise River At Neal Bridge Nr Arrowrock Dam Id | 360 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Francis.
Boat launches
- Fh61 Elmore County
- Pine Campground Boat Ramp
- Camas Reservoir Road Elmore County
- National Forest Development Road 113 Elmore County
- Danskin Floatboat Access
Campgrounds
- Hunter Creek Transfer Camp
- Curlew Creek Campground
- Curlew Creek
- Pine Campground
- Little Camas Reservoir
- Fall Creek
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Sawtooth Nf Boundary
- Snake River
- Anderson Ranch Dam To Confluence With Mennecke Creek
- Alta Creek To Confluence With Feather River
- Mennecke Creek To Confluence With Trail Creek
- Headwaters To Confluence With Alta Creek
More reservoirs
Track Francis in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Francis
Where does the data for Francis come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Significant hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Francis.