West Pass Dike dam
West Pass Dike
West Pass Dike, located in Washington's Whatcom County, stands as a vital structure with a primary purpose of hydroelectric power generation. Built in 1959 by Stone & Webster, this Earth-type dam stretches 1200 feet in length and reaches a height of 115 feet, creating a significant storage capacity of 274,221 acre-feet in the Baker River watershed. With a hydraulic height of 94 feet and a structural height of 104 feet, this dam plays a crucial role in regulating water flow and supporting various purposes such as fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, and power generation.
Owned by a public utility, West Pass Dike is managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity. Despite being classified as having a high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently listed as "Not Available." While it lacks a spillway, the dam's risk assessment remains high, emphasizing the importance of effective risk management measures to mitigate potential emergencies and safeguard surrounding communities and ecosystems. The dam's location in the beautiful landscape of Concrete, Washington, highlights the delicate balance between harnessing water resources for energy while protecting the environment and public safety.
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 West Pass Dike -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Skagit River Near Concrete | 16,300 cfs | → |
| Bacon Creek Below Oakes Creek Near Marblemount | 432 cfs | → |
| Skagit River At Marblemount | 6,850 cfs | → |
| Cascade River At Marblemount | 1,250 cfs | → |
| Sauk River Near Sauk | 3,530 cfs | → |
| Clearwater Creek Near Welcome | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near West Pass Dike.
Boat launches
- Whatcom County
- National Forest Development Road Whatcom County
- National Forest Development Road 012 Whatcom County
- National Forest Development Road 11, Concrete
- National Forest Development Road 1142 Whatcom County
- National Forest Development Road 1150 Whatcom County
Campgrounds
- Anderson Point Campsites
- Horseshoe Cove
- Horseshoe Cove Campground
- Bayview Campground
- Maple Grove Campsites
- Boulder Creek Campground
Paddle runs
- Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nf/North Cascades Np Boundary To Baker Lake
- Blum Creek To Baker Lake
- Bell Creek To Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nf Boundary
- Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nf/North Cascades Np Boundary To Confluence With Blum Creek
- Headwaters To Confluence With Bell Creek
- Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 23, T37n, R7e To Confluence With Soufh Fork Nooksack River
Track West Pass Dike 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 West Pass Dike
Where does the data for West Pass Dike 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 West Pass Dike.