Chaplain Lake South Dam dam
Chaplain Lake South Dam
Chaplain Lake South Dam, located in Sultan, Washington, serves as a critical water supply infrastructure for the region. Completed in 1930, this earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 75 feet and has a structural height of 50 feet, with a storage capacity of 17,800 acre-feet. The dam is situated on Chaplain Creek, with a drainage area of 2.6 square miles, providing essential water resources for the surrounding communities.
Managed by the Washington Department of Ecology, Chaplain Lake South Dam is regulated and inspected regularly to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With a high hazard potential, the dam's condition is assessed as satisfactory, with the last inspection conducted in July 2019. Despite its age, the dam continues to effectively meet its primary purpose of water supply, demonstrating its importance in maintaining a reliable water source for the area.
As a key component of the local water infrastructure, Chaplain Lake South Dam plays a crucial role in water management and supply for Snohomish County, Washington. With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, the dam serves as a vital resource for the region, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued functionality and safety in the face of evolving climate conditions and water resource management challenges.
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 Chaplain Lake South Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sultan River Below Diversion Dam Near Sultan | 149 cfs | → |
| Sultan River Below Powerplant Near Sultan | 307 cfs | → |
| South Fork Sultan River Near Sultan | 30 cfs | → |
| Skykomish River Near Gold Bar | 2,150 cfs | → |
| Pilchuck River Near Snohomish | 135 cfs | → |
| Snohomish River Near Monroe | 4,030 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chaplain Lake South Dam.
Boat launches
- Middle Shore Road 2998, Lake Roesiger
- Stevens Pass Highway Sultan
- West Flowing Lake Road 6415, Snohomish
- Ben Howard Road 21101-21283, Monroe
- Panther Lake Road Snohomish County
- South Shore Road Snohomish County
Campgrounds
- Camp Pigott
- Camp Edward Bsa (Boy Scouts Of America)
- Flowing Lake County Park
- Gold Basin Campground
- Gold Basin
- Verlot Campground
Paddle runs
- Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 14, T29n, R10e To Confluence With Canyon Creek
- Confluence Of Tye And Foss Rivers To Gold Bar
- Confluence With Troublesome Creek To Confluence With South Fork Skykomish River
- End Of Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With Troublesome Creek
- Usfs Road 63 To Confluence With North Fork Skykomish River
- Headwaters At Outlet Of Blanca Lake To Usfs Road 63
Track Chaplain Lake South Dam 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 Chaplain Lake South Dam
Where does the data for Chaplain Lake South Dam 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 Chaplain Lake South Dam.