Windsor Waterski Pond

About Windsor Waterski Pond

The primary purpose of Windsor Waterski Pond is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Windsor Estates Homeowners Association (private). It impounds the Tr-nisqually River near Yelm.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 125 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/08/2016. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Washington dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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