Piute dam
Piute
Piute Dam, located in Piute County, Utah, is a privately owned structure regulated by the Utah Division of Water Rights. Completed in 1938, this Earth-type dam stands at 90 feet high with a hydraulic height of 72 feet, serving primarily for irrigation purposes on the Sevier River. With a storage capacity of 136,855 acre-feet and a drainage area of 2,440 square miles, Piute Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Despite its satisfactory condition assessment, Piute Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its location and the volume of water it holds. The dam underwent its last inspection in August 2020 and is subject to regular monitoring and enforcement by state regulatory agencies. With a history dating back over 80 years, Piute Dam remains a vital piece of infrastructure in the water management system of the area, highlighting the intersection of water resources and climate challenges in the region.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Piute Dam serves as a fascinating case study in the management of water infrastructure in a changing climate. Its role in irrigation, storage capacity, and regulatory oversight provide important insights into the complexities of balancing water needs for agricultural and environmental purposes. As discussions around climate resilience and water security continue to evolve, Piute Dam stands as a symbol of the ongoing efforts to ensure the sustainability of water resources in the face of growing challenges.
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 Piute -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sevier River Near Kingston | 9 cfs | → |
| East Fork Sevier River Near Kingston | 198 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek Above Diversions | 26 cfs | → |
| Beaver River Near Beaver | 26 cfs | → |
| Beaver River At Adamsville | 1 cfs | → |
| Seven Mile Creek Near Fish Lake | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Piute.
Campgrounds
- Piute State Park
- City Creek Campground
- City Creek Rec Site
- City Creek
- Lake Stream Trailhead
- Timid Springs Trailhead
Fishing spots
- Manning Meadows Cua Dispersed
- Anderson Meadow Rec Site
- Lakeside Fish Cleaning Station Cua Dispersed
- Corn Creek
- Joe Bush Fisherman Parking Rec Site
- Yellow Lake
Track Piute 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 Piute
Where does the data for Piute 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 Piute.