Chief Joseph Dam dam
Chief Joseph Dam
Chief Joseph Dam, also known as Rufus Woods Lake, is a federal-owned gravity dam located on the Columbia River in Bridgeport, Washington. Completed in 1955, the dam serves primarily for hydroelectric power generation and recreation purposes. With a structural height of 230 feet and a hydraulic height of 205 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 593,000 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 1,200,000 cubic feet per second. Despite its solid construction and maintenance by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the dam poses a high hazard potential due to potential flooding risks in downstream communities like Bridgeport, Brewster, and Pateros.
USACE has implemented various risk management measures to mitigate threats to life safety and property, including enhanced monitoring, regular inspections, and maintenance of the dam structure. The agency closely monitors rainfall and snowpack forecasts to anticipate high river flow events and takes necessary flood operation actions to prevent overtopping and failure of the dam. Moreover, USACE collaborates with local emergency managers to update the Emergency Action Plan annually, conduct emergency exercises, and engage in stakeholder meetings to ensure a coordinated response in times of crisis. Despite the potential risks, Chief Joseph Dam remains a critical infrastructure for water resource management and energy production in the region.
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 Chief Joseph Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Methow River Near Pateros | 3,980 cfs | → |
| Okanogan River At Malott | 4,980 cfs | → |
| Chelan River At Chelan | 268 cfs | → |
| Omak Creek Near Omak | 3 cfs | → |
| Methow River At Twisp | 3,590 cfs | → |
| Twisp River Near Twisp | 801 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Chief Joseph Dam.
Boat launches
Campgrounds
- Okanogan River Paddlers Campground
- Beebe Bridge Park
- Lakeshore Rv Park
- Averill - Wdfw
- Jameson Lake
- Barker Canyon - Wdfw
Track Chief Joseph 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 Chief Joseph Dam
Where does the data for Chief Joseph 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 Chief Joseph Dam.