Ruth Lake Dam dam
Ruth Lake Dam
Ruth Lake Dam, also known as the Temporary Sewage Lagoon, is a Federal-owned structure located in Kitsap, Washington. Constructed in 1977 by the US Navy, this Earth-type dam stands at a height of 18 feet and has a hydraulic height of 4.5 feet, with a length of 300 feet. The dam serves as a water resource management facility for the Hood Canal-Offstream area, providing a storage capacity of 135 acre-feet and a surface area of 9.9 acres.
Managed and funded by the US Navy, Ruth Lake Dam is inspected regularly by the same agency to ensure its structural integrity and compliance with state regulations. While the dam has a low hazard potential, its condition assessment in 2018 was rated as fair. In case of emergencies, the dam has a moderate risk level, with risk management measures in place to address potential issues.
Despite its primary purpose being categorized as "Other", Ruth Lake Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region. With its relatively low hazard potential and moderate risk assessment, the dam continues to serve as a key infrastructure owned and operated by the US Navy for the benefit of the surrounding community and environment.
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 Ruth Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Quilcene River Below Diversion Nr Quilcene | 64 cfs | → |
| Duckabush River Near Brinnon | 222 cfs | → |
| Thornton Creek Near Seattle | 41 cfs | → |
| Huge Creek Near Wauna | 7 cfs | → |
| Mercer Creek Near Bellevue | 12 cfs | → |
| Duwamish River At Golf Course At Tukwila | 6,700 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ruth Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Norum Road Northeast 16011, Poulsbo
- Ogle Road Northeast 9790, Bremerton
- Point Whitney Road 1099, Brinnon
- Chico Beach Drive Northwest 5398, Kitsap County
- Miami Beach Road Northwest 9810, Seabeck
- Katherine Street Northwest 4800-4856, Bremerton
Campgrounds
- Wwta Campsite (Human Powered Boats Only)
- Kitsap Memorial State Park
- Camp Parsons
- Scenic Beach State Park Campground
- Scenic Beach State Park
- Seal Rock Campground
Paddle runs
- Brothers Wilderness Boundary To Olympic Nf Boundary
- Olympic Nf/Olympic Np Bounary To Brothers Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters- Includes All Tributaries To Confluence With Dosewallips River
- Headwaters- Includes All Tributaries (Upstream From Station Creek) To Confluence With Dosewallips River
Track Ruth Lake 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 Ruth Lake Dam
Where does the data for Ruth Lake 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 Ruth Lake Dam.