Elmer Dam dam
Elmer Dam
Elmer Dam, located in La Center, Washington, is a privately owned structure primarily used for irrigation purposes. Completed in 1958, this earth dam stands at a height of 16 feet and spans a length of 760 feet. It holds a maximum storage capacity of 38 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 18 acres, serving the surrounding area with water from Tr-Mason Creek.
Managed by the Washington Department of Ecology, Elmer Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite being classified as a high hazard potential structure, the dam's condition assessment in August 2020 deemed it to be satisfactory. With a hazard potential classification of high, the dam's emergency action plan and risk management measures play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the surrounding community in the event of a potential breach.
As a key component of the water resource infrastructure in Clark County, Washington, Elmer Dam remains a vital resource for irrigation and water management in the region. With its strategic location and efficient design, the dam continues to play a critical role in supporting agricultural activities and ensuring water availability for the local community.
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 Elmer Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lewis River At Ariel | 2,820 cfs | → |
| East Fork Lewis River Near Heisson | 244 cfs | → |
| Canyon Creek Near Amboy | 163 cfs | → |
| Speelyai Creek Near Cougar | 31 cfs | → |
| Burnt Bridge Creek Near Mouth At Vancouver | 37 cfs | → |
| Columbia Slough At Portland | 580 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Elmer Dam.
Boat launches
- Merwin Hatchery Court, Ariel
- Northwest La Center Road La Center
- Woodland Park Road Cowlitz County
- South Pekin Road Cowlitz County
- Yale Bridge Road Clark County
- Frasier Road 499, Ariel
Campgrounds
- Battle Ground Lake State Park
- Paradise Point State Park
- Cold Creek- State Forest
- Campground: Sunset Falls Campground And Day Use
- Louis Rasmussen Rv Park
- Copper City Campsite
Paddle runs
- Headwaters In Sw 1/4 Of Sec 8, T4n, R6e To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
- Nw1/4 Of Sec 9, T5n, R6e To Ne1/4 Of Sec 6, T5n, R5e
- Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary To Maximum Pool Of Swift Reservoir In Nw1/4 Of Sec 35, T7n, R6e
- Headwaters In Sw1/4 Sec 28, T9n, R5e To Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Boundary
- Confluence With Smith Creek To Confluence With Lewis River
- Mt. Adams Wilderness Boundary To Gifford Pinchot Nf Boundary
Track Elmer 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 Elmer Dam
Where does the data for Elmer 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 Elmer Dam.