Salmon Falls dam
Salmon Falls
Salmon Falls, located in Hagerman Valley, Idaho, is a privately-owned structure regulated by the Idaho Department of Water Resources. This concrete dam, completed in 1911, stands at a height of 223.5 feet, with a storage capacity of 230,650 acre-feet. It serves as a crucial component in managing water resources in Twin Falls County, Idaho, impacting the Salmon Falls Creek and Snake River.
Despite its age, Salmon Falls Dam remains in fair condition, with a high hazard potential due to its location and design. The dam features a slide gate for outlet control and lacks a spillway, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance. With a history of inspections and regular state oversight, Salmon Falls continues to play a vital role in water management, supporting agricultural and environmental needs in the region.
As climate change impacts water availability and quality, structures like Salmon Falls become integral in ensuring sustainable water management practices. Understanding the risk factors associated with the dam, including its high hazard potential and limited spillway capacity, is crucial for developing effective risk management measures and emergency preparedness plans. By prioritizing the maintenance and safety of structures like Salmon Falls, water resource enthusiasts can contribute to the resilience of water systems in the face of a changing climate.
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 Salmon Falls -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon River Canal Co Canal Nr Rogerson Id | 20 cfs | → |
| Salmon Falls Creek Nr San Jacinto Nv | 24 cfs | → |
| Rock Creek Ab Hwy 30/93 Xing At Twin Falls Id | 59 cfs | → |
| Snake River Nr Twin Falls Id | 398 cfs | → |
| Blue Lakes Spring Bl Pump Plant Nr Twin Falls Id | 149 cfs | → |
| Snake River Nr Buhl Id | 1,580 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Salmon Falls.
Track Salmon Falls 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 Salmon Falls
Where does the data for Salmon Falls 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 High 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 Salmon Falls.