Hill Lake Dam dam
Hill Lake Dam
Hill Lake Dam, located in Stevens County, Washington, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1984 for irrigation purposes along Pingston Creek. The dam has a hydraulic height of 12 feet and a structural height of 9 feet, with a maximum storage capacity of 120 acre-feet and a normal storage of 80 acre-feet. With a surface area of 6.2 acres and a drainage area of 0.3 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region.
Managed by the Washington Department of Ecology, Hill Lake Dam is classified as low hazard potential and is currently not rated in terms of condition assessment. While the dam has not been modified in recent years and does not have a designated emergency action plan, it meets state regulations for inspection, permitting, and enforcement. With its association with recreation activities in addition to irrigation, the dam serves as a vital infrastructure for both water supply and leisure in the area.
Despite its relatively small size, Hill Lake Dam symbolizes the intersection of human intervention in water resource management and climate adaptation strategies. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the key features and regulatory oversight of dams like Hill Lake Dam is essential for ensuring sustainable water management practices in a changing climate landscape.
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 Hill Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Colville River At Kettle Falls | 153 cfs | → |
| Kettle River Near Laurier | 4,540 cfs | → |
| Pend Oreille River Below Box Canyon Near Ione | 40,700 cfs | → |
| Columbia River At International Boundary | 141,000 cfs | → |
| Outlet Creek Near Metaline Falls | 19 cfs | → |
| Kettle River Near Ferry | 2,600 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hill Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway 25 1903-1937, Evans
- Northport Flat Creek Road 2122-2396, Kettle Falls
- Napoleon Road, Kettle Falls
- Highway 25 1834-1836, Kettle Falls
- Highway 25 3134, Northport
- Inchelium Kettle Falls Road 4273-4385, Kettle Falls
Campgrounds
- Marcus Island - Lake Roosevelt National Rec Area
- Marcus Island Campground
- Summer Island Campground
- Evans - Lake Roosevelt National Rec Area
- Evans Campground
- Douglas Falls Grange Park- State Forest
Paddle runs
- Ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T40n, R46e To Nw1/4 Of Sec 5, T40n, R46e
- Segment 2 Flows For Almost 10 Miles From The Intersection With Trail 312 To Its Confluence With The Upper Priest River To Segment 2 Flows For Almost 10 Miles From The Intersection With Trail 312 To Its Confluence With The Upper Priest River
- Segment 1 Is Classified As Wild And Flows From Its Source For Almost Five Miles To The Intersection With Trail 312 To Segment 1 Is Classified As Wild And Flows From Its Source For Almost To The Intersection With Trail 312
- Upper Priest River
Track Hill Lake 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 Hill Lake Dam
Where does the data for Hill Lake 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 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.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Hill Lake Dam.