Silver Lake dam
Silver Lake
Silver Lake, located in Sublette, Wyoming, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1953 by designer Floyd Bishop. The dam, standing at a height of 22 feet and a structural height of 32 feet, serves primarily for irrigation purposes, with a storage capacity of 2970 acre-feet and a surface area of 180 acres. The reservoir is fed by Silver Creek and has a drainage area of 7.9 square miles.
Despite its age, Silver Lake has a high hazard potential and a poor condition assessment, last inspected in July 2019. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway type with a width of 40 feet and slide (sluice gate) outlet gates. The risk assessment for Silver Lake is moderate, with a risk management plan in place to address potential safety concerns. The dam is regulated by the Wyoming State Engineer's Office and undergoes regular inspections and maintenance to ensure its integrity and safety for the surrounding community and downstream areas.
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 Silver Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sf L Wind Riv Ab Washakie Res | 629 cfs | → |
| Pine Creek Above Fremont Lake | 1,010 cfs | → |
| Bull Lake Creek Above Bull Lake | 958 cfs | → |
| New Fork River Near Big Piney | 1,750 cfs | → |
| Big Sandy River Near Farson | 256 cfs | → |
| Bull Lake Creek Near Lenore | 831 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Silver Lake.
Boat launches
- Boulder Lake Boat Ramp
- North Boulder Lake Campground Boat Launch
- Fremont Lake Boat Ramp
- New Fork Campground Boat Takeout
- New Fork Campground Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Scab Creek
- Scab Creek Small Vehicle Campsite 15
- Scab Creek Small Vehicle Campground
- Scab Creek Small Vehicle Campsite 14
- Scab Creek Small Vehicle Campsite 13
- Scab Creek Small Vehicle Campsite 12
Fishing spots
More reservoirs
Track Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake
Where does the data for Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake.