Challis Lake is a dam located in Custer County, Idaho, built in 1951. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 19 ft19 ft tall and 400 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Challis Lake
The primary purpose of Challis Lake is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is private-owned. It impounds the Challis Creek Lakes Challis Creek near Salmon.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a storage capacity of 189 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1951, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 07/20/2020.
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Location
| State | Idaho |
| County | Custer |
| Nearest City | Salmon |
| River/Stream | Challis Creek Lakes Challis Creek |
| Coordinates | 44.55210, -114.51260 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1951 (75 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 189 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 189 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 80 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 07/20/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ID00138 |
| Federal ID | ID00138 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |