Holiday Lake Dam dam
Holiday Lake Dam
Holiday Lake Dam, located in Whatcom, Washington, is a private earth dam completed in 1967 with a primary purpose of recreation. Standing at a hydraulic height of 24 feet and a structural height of 23 feet, it provides a maximum storage capacity of 22 acre-feet and a normal storage of 9 acre-feet. The dam, situated on Tr-Hale Passage, has a surface area of 2.4 acres and a high hazard potential, but its condition assessment in 2015 deemed it satisfactory.
Managed by the Washington Department of Ecology, Holiday Lake Dam is state-regulated, with inspection, permitting, and enforcement protocols in place. The dam has not undergone modifications in recent years and lacks emergency preparedness measures such as an Emergency Action Plan. Despite the high hazard potential, the dam's risk assessment and management strategies remain unspecified, highlighting a need for further evaluation and safety measures to address potential risks associated with the structure.
The dam's location in a recreational area and its proximity to the Tr-Hale Passage make it an essential water resource for the region. With its historical significance dating back to the 1960s, Holiday Lake Dam serves as a key structure for water storage and recreation purposes in the state of Washington. However, the lack of recent risk assessments and emergency preparedness plans underscores the importance of continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and longevity of the dam for both residents and the 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 Holiday Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nooksack River At Ferndale | 2,610 cfs | → |
| Olsen Creek Near Bellingham | 2 cfs | → |
| Carpenter Creek At N Shore Drive Nr Bellingham | 1 cfs | → |
| Brannian Creek At S Bay Dr Nr Wickersham | 1 cfs | → |
| Samish River Near Burlington | 99 cfs | → |
| Anderson Creek Near Bellingham | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Holiday Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Beach Avenue Whatcom County
- Cypress Head Trail Skagit County
- Galbriath Loop Bellingham
- T Avenue 209, Anacortes
- Chuckanut Drive 3098, Skagit County
- Washington Park Loop, Anacortes
Campgrounds
- Larrabee State Park
- Cascade Marine Trail, Campsite For Human Powered Boats
- Cedar Lake Camp
- Pine Lake Camp
- Cascadia Marine Trail Campsite
- Moran State Park Campground
Paddle runs
- Fish Hatchery To Confluence With South Fork Nooksack River
- Nooksack Falls Power Plant To Fish Hatchery Near Kendall, Wa
- Headwaters In Ne1/4 Of Sec 23, T37n, R7e To Confluence With Soufh Fork Nooksack River
- Headwaters To Confluence With Bell Creek
- Bell Creek To Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Nf Boundary
- Douglas Fir Campground To Mt. Baker Highway
Track Holiday 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 Holiday Lake Dam
Where does the data for Holiday 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 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 Holiday Lake Dam.