Baker Lake Dam dam
Baker Lake Dam
Baker Lake Dam, located in Pend Oreille, Washington, was completed in 1966 and serves primarily for irrigation purposes. This private dam, standing at a hydraulic height of 10 feet and structural height of 5 feet, holds a normal storage capacity of 20 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 61 acre-feet. With a surface area of 2300 acres, the dam is situated on Tr-Deer Creek and falls under the jurisdiction of the Washington Dept of Ecology.
Despite its low hazard potential, Baker Lake Dam is regulated and inspected by the state of Washington to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam is of buttress type, constructed with multi-arch cores on rock and soil foundations, with a length of 110 feet. While the dam has not been rated for condition assessment, it remains an essential infrastructure for irrigation and recreation purposes in the region.
Baker Lake Dam, represented under Congressional District 05, Washington, is a vital component of the local water resource management system. With its modest storage capacity and strategic location, the dam plays a crucial role in maintaining water supply for irrigation activities in the surrounding areas. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Baker Lake Dam to be an interesting case study in private dam ownership and state regulation practices.
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 Baker Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pend Oreille River At Newport Wa | 19,400 cfs | → |
| Little Spokane River At Elk | 48 cfs | → |
| Priest River Nr Priest River Id | 341 cfs | → |
| Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin | 213 cfs | → |
| Little Spokane River At Dartford | 99 cfs | → |
| Little Spokane River Near Dartford | 332 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Baker Lake Dam.
Boat launches
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Campgrounds
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Fishing spots
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River runs
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About Baker Lake Dam
Where does the data for Baker 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 below 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.
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.