Payette Lake Upper dam
Payette Lake Upper
Payette Lake Upper, also known as Upper Payette Lake Dam, is a privately owned structure located in McCall, Idaho. Completed in 1953, this concrete dam serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 2400 acre-feet and a surface area of 315 acres. The dam stands at a height of 15 feet, with an uncontrolled spillway width of 30 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 1070 cubic feet per second.
Situated on the North Fork Payette River, Payette Lake Upper is regulated by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, with regular inspections and enforcement measures in place to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam's hazard potential is considered significant, with a fair condition assessment as of the last inspection in July 2018. Despite its moderate risk level, the dam plays a crucial role in water management and irrigation in the region, making it a vital asset for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and study.
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 Payette Lake Upper -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Fork Payette River Ab Jumbo Cr Nr Mccall Id | 588 cfs | → |
| Nf Payette River At Mccall Id | 1,430 cfs | → |
| Sf Salmon River Nr Krassel Ranger Station Id | 2,190 cfs | → |
| Little Salmon River At Riggins Id | 2,420 cfs | → |
| Johnson Creek At Yellow Pine Id | 2,140 cfs | → |
| Snake River At Hells Canyon Dam Id-Or State Line | 19,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Payette Lake Upper.
Boat launches
- Granite Lake Dam Road Valley County
- Fisher Creek Road Adams County
- Grouse Creek Campground Road Adams County
- Warren Wagon Road Mccall
- Salmon River Road Idaho County
- National Forest Development Road 1614 Idaho County
Campgrounds
- Upper Payette Lake
- Upper Payette Lake Campground
- Upper Payette Lake Group Campground
- Upper Payette Lake Dispersed Camping Area
- Granite Lake Camping Area
- Brundage Reservoir Camping Area
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters At Hard Creek Lake To Payette Nf Boundary
- Payette Nf Boundary On Lake Creek (Just West Marshall Lake) To To And Including Chinook Campground
- Chinook Campground To Ponderosa Campground
- Headwaters To Confluence With Vance Creek At Payette Nf Boundary
- Hard Creek
- Hazard Creek
More reservoirs
Track Payette Lake Upper 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 Payette Lake Upper
Where does the data for Payette Lake Upper 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 Payette Lake Upper.