French Canyon dam
French Canyon
French Canyon is a captivating Earth dam located in Tieton, Washington, along the North Fork Cowiche River. Built in 1985 by CH2M Hill for the Bureau of Reclamation, this Federal-owned structure primarily serves the purpose of irrigation, with a storage capacity of 1265 acre-feet. The dam stands at 74 feet high and spans a length of 1050 feet, making it a significant water resource for the region.
With a hazard potential rated as high and a moderate risk assessment score of 3, French Canyon Dam is a crucial piece of infrastructure that requires careful monitoring and management. Despite its high hazard potential, the condition assessment of the dam is currently not available, raising concerns about its structural integrity. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 130 feet, designed to handle a maximum discharge of 23,000 cubic feet per second, highlighting the importance of effective risk management measures to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and the environment. French Canyon Dam is a testament to the intricate balance between water resource management and climate resilience in the Yakima County area.
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 French Canyon -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yakima River At Umtanum | 1,870 cfs | → |
| Ahtanum Creek At Union Gap | 68 cfs | → |
| Yakima River Above Ahtanum Creek At Union Gap | 3,030 cfs | → |
| American River Near Nile | 283 cfs | → |
| Toppenish Creek Near Fort Simcoe | 34 cfs | → |
| Klickitat River Above West Fork Near Glenwood | 286 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near French Canyon.
Boat launches
- North Wenas Road 16361, Selah
- Rovetto Road 2, Yakima
- Canyon Road 8681-9129, Yakima
- Roza Recreation Site
- State Route 821 Kittitas County
Campgrounds
- Windy Point Campground
- Hanging Tree Dispersed Camping
- Hause Creek
- Hause Creek Campground
- Lost Lake Camping Area
- Roza - Yakima River Canyon
Paddle runs
- Yakima River Segment 2
- Yakima River Segment 1
- Confluence With Ranier Fork To Confluence With Bumping River
- Headwaters In Se1/4 Of Sec 9, T14n, R11e To Goat Rocks Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters At American Lake To Confluence With Ranier Fork
- Confluence With Chinook Creek To Southern Boundary Of Mount Rainier National Park
Track French Canyon 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 French Canyon
Where does the data for French Canyon 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 French Canyon.