Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel dam
Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel
The Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel, located in Kid Valley, Washington, is a crucial federal infrastructure project designed and constructed by the USDA Forest Service and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Completed in 1985, this tunnel plays a vital role in flood risk reduction along the South Coldwater Creek. With a dam height of 184 feet and a length of 1000 feet, the tunnel has a maximum storage capacity of 57,000 acre-feet, making it a key component in managing water resources in the region.
The primary purpose of the Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel is flood risk reduction, and it features a controlled spillway with vertical lift outlet gates. Despite its high hazard potential, the tunnel's condition is currently rated as "Not Rated," and it is considered to have a very high risk level. While it lacks certain emergency preparedness measures like an Emergency Action Plan, the tunnel remains a critical piece of infrastructure in safeguarding communities and properties from potential flooding events. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel presents a fascinating example of innovative engineering and collaboration in managing water resources and mitigating flood risks in the Pacific Northwest.
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 Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz River Near Kosmos | 3,550 cfs | → |
| Muddy Creek Below Clear Creek Near Cougar | 334 cfs | → |
| Lewis River Above Muddy River Near Cougar | 665 cfs | → |
| Cispus River Ab Yellowjacket Creek Near Randle | 861 cfs | → |
| Speelyai Creek Near Cougar | 31 cfs | → |
| Cowlitz River At Randle | 2,270 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel.
Boat launches
- Coldwater Lake Picnic And Boating Site
- Spirit Lake Highway Cowlitz County
- Champion Haul Road Lewis County
- Forest Road 81 Cowlitz County
- Lewis County
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 31, T10n, R6e To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary
- Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary To To Point River Reenters Mshnvm In Se 1/4 Of Sec 11, T10n, R5e
- (Upper Muddy Segment) Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 10, T8n, R5e To Conflence With Smith Creek
- (Smith Creek Segment) Headwaters In Se 1/4 Of Sec 3, T8n, R5e To Confluence With Muddy River
- Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Boundary In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 32, T11n, R5e
- Headwaters In Sw1/4 Sec 28, T9n, R5e To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary
Track Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel 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 Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel
Where does the data for Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel 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 Undetermined 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 Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel.