Loers Dam dam
Loers Dam
Loers Dam, located in Island County, Washington, was completed in 1958 and serves primarily for recreation purposes. Designed by Fakkema & Kingma, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 6 feet and a hydraulic height of 9 feet, with a length of 1500 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 51 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 37 acre-feet, covering a surface area of 10 acres and draining an area of 2.5 square miles.
Managed by a private entity, the Washington Department of Ecology regulates and inspects Loers Dam to ensure its safety and compliance with state standards. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition has not been officially rated, and it lacks an emergency action plan. The dam's location on the Tr-Puget Sound river/stream contributes to its significance in the region, providing irrigation water and recreational opportunities for the local community.
With its unique design features and historical significance, Loers Dam offers a glimpse into the intersection of water resource management, climate resilience, and recreational use. As climate change impacts water resources, the management and maintenance of dams like Loers become increasingly crucial in ensuring water security and safety for surrounding communities. As enthusiasts and stakeholders in water resource and climate issues, understanding the importance of infrastructure like Loers Dam is essential in fostering sustainable water management practices for the future.
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 Loers Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Skagit River Near Mount Vernon | 18,300 cfs | → |
| Tulalip Creek Above East Branch Near Tulalip | 6 cfs | → |
| East Branch Tulalip Creek Nr Mouth Nr Tulalip | 2 cfs | → |
| Tulalip Creek Near Tulalip | 12 cfs | → |
| Samish River Near Burlington | 117 cfs | → |
| Mission Creek Near Tulalip | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Loers Dam.
Boat launches
- South Beeksma Drive Oak Harbor
- Scenic Heights Road 592, Island County
- Northeast 9th Street 504, Coupeville
- Mariner Beach Drive 2180, Island County
- Deception Pass State Park Road Island County
- Boat Ramp Road 1101, Island County
Campgrounds
- Oak Harbor City Beach Park
- Staysail Rv Park - Oak Harbor
- Hiker/Biker Site
- Fort Ebey State Park, Main Campground
- Fort Ebey State Park
- Rhododendron County Park
Paddle runs
- Canyon Creek To Confluence With North Fork Stillaguamish River
- Sleepy Hollow Creek To Olympic Nf Boundary
- Usfs Road 2870 Bridge To Confluence With Dungeness River
- Olympic Nf/Olympic Np Boundary To Usfs Road 2870 Bridge
- Silver Creek To Sleepy Hollow Creek
- Forest Road 2860 Bridge To Silver Creek
Track Loers 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 Loers Dam
Where does the data for Loers 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 Low 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 Loers Dam.