Van Orden dam
Van Orden
Van Orden is a privately owned irrigation structure located in Franklin, Idaho, with a low hazard potential and a fair condition assessment. Built in 1961 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam on Worm Creek and Cub River stands at 22.5 feet high and has a storage capacity of 64 acre-feet. The dam serves the primary purpose of irrigation, supporting a drainage area of 53 square miles and a maximum discharge of 154 cubic feet per second.
Although Van Orden has a controlled spillway and is regulated by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, it has not been modified in recent years and lacks emergency action plans and inundation maps. Despite these shortcomings, the dam is inspected every five years and remains in a fair condition, meeting state inspection and enforcement requirements. With a very high risk assessment rating of 1, there is a need for improved risk management measures to ensure the safety and integrity of this important water resource infrastructure in Idaho.
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 Van Orden -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Bear River At Idaho-Utah State Line | 483 cfs | → |
| Logan River Above State Dam | 410 cfs | → |
| Logan | 68 cfs | → |
| Blacksmith Fork Ab U.P.&L. Co | 74 cfs | → |
| Little Bear River At Paradise | 83 cfs | → |
| Bear River Near Corinne | 411 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Van Orden.
Boat launches
- West 6200 North 6484, Cache County
- North 3000 West Cache County
- West 3000 North 4507, Cache County
- Highway 30 Cache County
- Highway 102 Box Elder County
- North Cisco Road Rich County
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Hgh Creek Lake To Nf Boundary
- Source To Mouth
- Idaho State Line To Confluence With Beaver Creek
- Southern Boundary Of State Land To Mouth
More reservoirs
Track Van Orden 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 Van Orden
Where does the data for Van Orden 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 Low 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 Van Orden.