Great Depression Dam dam
Great Depression Dam
The Great Depression Dam, also known as Over The Ridge Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Chelan, Washington. Completed in 1998, this earth dam serves the primary purpose of irrigation for agriculture in the region. With a height of 22 feet and a storage capacity of 32 acre-feet, it plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area.
Managed by the Washington Department of Ecology, the Great Depression Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state agencies to ensure its safety and functionality. Although it has a fair condition assessment, it is classified as a high hazard potential structure. With a drainage area of 0.06 square miles and a maximum discharge of 202 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a significant role in controlling water flow and providing essential water resources for the surrounding area.
Despite its small size, the Great Depression Dam plays a vital role in water resource management in the region. With its location on Squilchuck Creek and its contribution to irrigation needs, this structure showcases the importance of privately owned dams in supporting agricultural activities and water availability in Washington state.
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 Great Depression Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee River At Monitor | 4,590 cfs | → |
| Wenatchee River At Peshastin | 4,710 cfs | → |
| Entiat River Near Entiat | 1,080 cfs | → |
| Icicle Creek Above Snow Creek Near Leavenworth | 1,050 cfs | → |
| Mad River At Ardenvoir | 208 cfs | → |
| Yakima River At Umtanum | 2,070 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Great Depression Dam.
Boat launches
- Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, East Wenatchee
- Apple Capitol Recreational Loop Trail, Wenatchee
- Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, Wenatchee
- Russ Road Chelan County
- Chelan County
- Spanish Castle Road Douglas County
Campgrounds
- Squilchuck State Park Campground
- Wenatchee Confluence State Park
- Wenatchee River County Park
- Tronsen
- Lion Rock Spring
- Lincoln Rock State Park
Paddle runs
- Douglas Creek
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To City Of Leavenworth Water Intake In Se1/4 Of Sec 28, T24n, R17e
- Outlet Of Lake Wenatchee To Wenatchee Nf Boundary
- Rock Island Campground To Ida Creek
- Glacier Peak Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Wenatchee River
- Headwaters At Josephine Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
Track Great Depression 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 Great Depression Dam
Where does the data for Great Depression 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 Great Depression Dam.