Seatac Airport Pond M dam
Seatac Airport Pond M
Seatac Airport Pond M, owned by the Port of Seattle, serves as a crucial flood risk reduction structure in King County, Washington. Completed in 2011, this offstream earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 11 feet, providing a storage capacity of 27 acre-feet to mitigate potential flooding in the area. The dam's primary purpose is flood risk reduction, with a fair condition assessment as of the last inspection in May 2016.
Located in Seattle, this dam plays a vital role in protecting the surrounding area from high hazard potential during extreme weather events. With Washington Department of Ecology as the state regulatory agency overseeing its operations, Seatac Airport Pond M ensures the safety and security of the local community. As a water resource and climate enthusiast, the engineering and design of this dam by the Port of Seattle presents an intriguing example of infrastructure addressing the challenges posed by climate change and water management in the region.
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 Seatac Airport Pond M -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Duwamish River At Golf Course At Tukwila | 6,700 cfs | → |
| Mill Creek Near Mouth At Orillia | 5 cfs | → |
| Spring Brook Creek At Orillia | 6 cfs | → |
| Cedar River At Renton | 335 cfs | → |
| Mill Creek At Earthworks Park At Kent | 1 cfs | → |
| Mercer Creek Near Bellevue | 12 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Seatac Airport Pond M.
Boat launches
- 47th Avenue Southwest 10203, Seattle
- Fauntleroy Way Southwest 9345, Seattle
- Duwamish River Boat Ramp
- Adams Street Boat Ramp
- Lake Fenwick Trail Kent
- Lake Washington Boulevard South 3800, Seattle
Campgrounds
- Point Robinson Campground
- Dash Point State Park
- Dash Point Campground
- Cascadia Marine Trail
- Manchester State Park
- Manchester State Park Campground
Paddle runs
- Snoqualmie Falls To Plum's Landing
- Confluence With Taylor River To Confluence With North Fork Snoqualmie River
- Wagner Bridge To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Huckleberry Creek To Confluence With Clearwater River
- Brothers Wilderness Boundary To Olympic Nf Boundary
- Quartz Road To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
Track Seatac Airport Pond M 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 Seatac Airport Pond M
Where does the data for Seatac Airport Pond M 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 Seatac Airport Pond M.