Van Stone Pit Lake Dam dam
Van Stone Pit Lake Dam
Van Stone Pit Lake Dam in Washington, completed in 1999, serves as a critical structure for managing tailings from surrounding operations. This private dam, regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology, stands at a height of 25 feet with a capacity for storing 448 acre-feet of water. Located on Onion Creek in Stevens County, the dam has a drainage area of 0.06 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 86 cubic feet per second.
Despite its vital role in water resource management, Van Stone Pit Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential due to its poor condition assessment as of September 2021. The dam's inspection frequency is set at every 5 years, with the most recent assessment indicating a need for improvement. With a history of modifications unlisted, the dam's structural integrity and emergency preparedness could be points of concern for water resource and climate enthusiasts. As the dam's risk management measures and emergency action plan status remain undisclosed, further attention and oversight may be warranted to ensure the dam's safe operation and maintenance.
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 Van Stone Pit Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pend Oreille River Below Box Canyon Near Ione | 40,700 cfs | → |
| Columbia River At International Boundary | 141,000 cfs | → |
| Colville River At Kettle Falls | 153 cfs | → |
| Outlet Creek Near Metaline Falls | 19 cfs | → |
| Kettle River Near Laurier | 4,540 cfs | → |
| Priest R Outflow Nr Coolin | 605 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Van Stone Pit Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Highway 25 3134, Northport
- Park Road, Northport
- Highway 25 1903-1937, Evans
- Northport Flat Creek Road 2122-2396, Kettle Falls
- Black Lake-Squaw Creek Road 1976-2198, Colville
- International Selkirk Loop, Ione
Campgrounds
- Big Meadow Lake Campground
- Big Meadow Lake
- North Gorge - Lake Roosevelt National Rec Area-
- North Gorge Campground
- Douglas Falls Grange Park- State Forest
- Evans - Lake Roosevelt National Rec Area
Paddle runs
- Ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T40n, R46e To Nw1/4 Of Sec 5, T40n, R46e
- Segment 2 Flows For Almost 10 Miles From The Intersection With Trail 312 To Its Confluence With The Upper Priest River To Segment 2 Flows For Almost 10 Miles From The Intersection With Trail 312 To Its Confluence With The Upper Priest River
- Segment 1 Is Classified As Wild And Flows From Its Source For Almost Five Miles To The Intersection With Trail 312 To Segment 1 Is Classified As Wild And Flows From Its Source For Almost To The Intersection With Trail 312
- Upper Priest River
Track Van Stone Pit 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 Van Stone Pit Lake Dam
Where does the data for Van Stone Pit 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 Van Stone Pit Lake Dam.