Tapps Lake Dike No 15 dam
Tapps Lake Dike No 15
Tapps Lake Dike No 15, also known as Printz Basin South Dike, is a crucial earth dam located in Sumner, Pierce County, Washington. Built in 1911, this dike serves primarily for recreation purposes, with a storage capacity of 400 acre-feet. It stands at a height of 29 feet and spans a length of 1500 feet, providing protection along the Diversion Canal Tr-White River. Despite being rated as having a low hazard potential, its condition assessment remains unrated as of now.
Owned by a public utility and regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology, Tapps Lake Dike No 15 is essential for managing water resources in the region. It is located within Congressional District 08, Washington, under the representation of Kim Schrier (D). With a drainage area of 9.7 square miles, this dike plays a crucial role in maintaining the water levels in Tapps Lake and surrounding areas, contributing to the overall water management efforts in the state.
Although last inspected in 2007, the dike has not been rated for its condition assessment, and its Emergency Action Plan (EAP) status remains unprepared. Despite these gaps, Tapps Lake Dike No 15 continues to provide valuable recreational opportunities while ensuring the safety and stability of the surrounding environment. As climate change impacts water resources, the maintenance and monitoring of such structures become increasingly important for sustainable water management in 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 Tapps Lake Dike No 15 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Prairie Creek At South Prairie | 142 cfs | → |
| Puyallup River At Alderton | 1,070 cfs | → |
| Lake Tapps Diversion At Dieringer | 26 cfs | → |
| Boise Creek At Buckley | 9 cfs | → |
| White River Above Boise Creek At Buckley | 1,060 cfs | → |
| Newaukum Creek Near Black Diamond | 38 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Tapps Lake Dike No 15.
Boat launches
- Allan Yorke Park
- Riverside Park Hand Boat Launch
- Southeast Green Valley Road 12507-12565, Auburn
- North Lake Fishing Access Federal Way
- Southeast 296th Street 22601, Black Diamond
- 148th Avenue Southeast Kent
Campgrounds
- Sunset Lake Camp
- Kanaskat Palmer Recreation Area
- Kanaskat-Palmer State Park Campground
- Dash Point Campground
- Dash Point State Park
- Holiday Park Military - Mcchord Afb
Paddle runs
- Huckleberry Creek To Confluence With Clearwater River
- Confluence With Ipsut Creek To Western Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
- Headwaters On The Nw Slope Of Mount Rainier At Carbon Glacier To Confluence With Ipsut Creek
- Headwaters In The Mystic Lake Basin On The North Side Of Mount Rainier To Northern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
- Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nf/Mt. Ranier Np Boundary At North Section Line Of Sec 3, T17 N, R10e To Confluence With Huckleberry Creek
- Snoqualmie Falls To Plum's Landing
Track Tapps Lake Dike No 15 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 Tapps Lake Dike No 15
Where does the data for Tapps Lake Dike No 15 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 Tapps Lake Dike No 15.