Koskella dam
Koskella
Koskella is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Valley, Idaho, along an unnamed stream north of the North Fork Payette River. Built in 1947, this earth and stone dam stands at a height of 24 feet and has a hydraulic height of 20.7 feet. With a storage capacity of 74 acre-feet and a drainage area of 0.4 square miles, Koskella serves the primary purpose of irrigation in the region.
Despite its age, Koskella has been regularly inspected and maintained by the Idaho Department of Water Resources, with the last inspection conducted in November 2016. The dam has been assessed to be in fair condition with a low hazard potential. The spillway, which is uncontrolled, has a width of 10 feet to manage a maximum discharge of 55 cubic feet per second. The risk assessment for Koskella indicates a moderate risk level, with appropriate risk management measures in place to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure.
Overall, Koskella is a crucial water resource infrastructure in Idaho, providing irrigation water for agricultural activities in the region. With its moderate risk level and fair condition, ongoing monitoring and maintenance efforts are essential to ensure the continued functionality and safety of this important dam in the face of changing climate conditions and water resource demands.
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 Koskella -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Fork Payette River Ab Jumbo Cr Nr Mccall Id | 396 cfs | → |
| Nf Payette River At Mccall Id | 959 cfs | → |
| Sf Salmon River Nr Krassel Ranger Station Id | 1,290 cfs | → |
| Weiser River Nr Cambridge Id | 441 cfs | → |
| Deadwood River Bl Deadwood Res Nr Lowman Id | 85 cfs | → |
| Johnson Creek At Yellow Pine Id | 1,230 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Koskella.
Boat launches
- Valley County
- National Forest Development Road 422 Valley County
- Lakeshore Drive 117, Cascade
- Main Street Valley County
- Cabarton Road Valley County
Campgrounds
- Willow Creek - Siscra
- Donnelly Lakeside City Park
- Amanita Campground - Reserve
- Amanita
- Rainbow Point Campground - Reserve
- Paddy Flat Guard Station Rental Cabin
Fishing spots
Track Koskella 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 Koskella
Where does the data for Koskella 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.