Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons dam
Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons
The Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons in Lind, Washington, is a significant water resource managed by the local government and regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology. These lagoons were designed by E & H Engineering and completed in the year 2000, serving as a vital infrastructure for the treatment and storage of wastewater in the region. With a hydraulic height of 9 feet and a storage capacity of 395 acre-feet, these lagoons play a crucial role in maintaining the water quality of Paha Creek and surrounding areas.
The Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons are classified as earth dams with stone cores and soil foundations, standing at a structural height of 9 feet and a length of 5000 feet. Despite being in fair condition as assessed in September 2021, these lagoons have a significant hazard potential and undergo inspections every five years to ensure their continued safety and functionality. With a normal storage capacity of 302.5 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 3.6 cubic feet per second, these lagoons are essential for the proper management of wastewater in Adams County, Washington.
As part of the emergency preparedness measures, the Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons have an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in place, last revised in January 2020. While the lagoons meet regulatory guidelines, there are no inundation maps prepared, and further risk assessment and management measures may be needed to address potential hazards. With Congressman Dan Newhouse representing the area in Congressional District 04, the Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons continue to be a critical component of water resource management in the region, ensuring the protection of public health 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 Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Coal Creek At Mohler | 1 cfs | → |
| Crab Creek At Irby | 9 cfs | → |
| Palouse River At Hooper | 286 cfs | → |
| Crab Creek Near Moses Lake | 51 cfs | → |
| Wilson Creek Below Corbett Draw Near Almira | 0 cfs | → |
| Tucannon River Near Starbuck | 175 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons.
Boat launches
- Sprague Lake Road, Ritzville
- Max Harder Road 44091, Sprague
- State Route 23 Sprague
- Pacific Lake Boat Ramp
- Lincoln County
- Coffeepot Lake Boat Ramp
Track Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons 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 Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons
Where does the data for Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons 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 Significant 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 Ritzville Wastewater Lagoons.