Snoqualmie Falls dam
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls, located in Fall City, Washington, is a captivating sight with its 19-foot concrete gravity dam built in 1898 by designer Charles H. Baker. The dam serves primarily for hydroelectric purposes but also offers recreational opportunities in the area. The structure stands at a height of 19 feet and spans 253 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 566 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 10,000 cubic feet per second.
Managed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the dam at Snoqualmie Falls has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating. The surrounding area boasts a surface area of 102.6 acres and a drainage area of 400 square miles, making it a vital water resource in the region. Despite its age, the dam's condition assessment is not available, but it remains a crucial piece of infrastructure for water management and energy production in King County, Washington.
Visitors to Snoqualmie Falls can marvel at the beauty of the multi-arch dam and the powerful flow of the Snoqualmie River. With its historical significance and continued operation for over a century, the dam stands as a testament to the importance of water resources and climate management in the Pacific Northwest.
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 Snoqualmie Falls -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Snoqualmie River Near Snoqualmie | 1,540 cfs | → |
| Raging River Near Fall City | 29 cfs | → |
| Sf Snoqualmie River At North Bend | 354 cfs | → |
| Nf Snoqualmie River Near Snoqualmie Falls | 260 cfs | → |
| Boxley Creek Near Edgewick | 62 cfs | → |
| Sf Snoqualmie River At Edgewick | 190 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Snoqualmie Falls.
Boat launches
- Southeast Fish Hatchery Road 36495-37159, Fall City
- Lake Langlois Road Northeast King County
- Northeast Tolt Hill Road 30348-30762, Carnation
- King County
- Lake Marcel Community Park
- Shady Lake Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Snoqualmie Falls To Plum's Landing
- Confluence With Taylor River To Confluence With North Fork Snoqualmie River
- Wagner Bridge To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Quartz Road To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Quartz Creek Road
- Outlet Of Snoqualmie Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
Track Snoqualmie Falls 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 Snoqualmie Falls
Where does the data for Snoqualmie Falls 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 Snoqualmie Falls.