Fairchild No. 1 (upper)
Fairchild No. 1 (upper) is a dam located in Washington County, Idaho, built in 1975. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Fairchild No. 1 (upper)
The primary purpose of Fairchild No. 1 (upper) 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 Unnamed Stream Sage Creek near Midvale.
The dam stands 78 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 111 acres, has a storage capacity of 3,303 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1975, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/24/2019.
At 78 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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 Idaho dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Idaho |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Midvale |
| River/Stream | Unnamed Stream Sage Creek |
| Coordinates | 44.46360, -116.90940 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 78 ft |
| Dam Height | 78 ft |
| Dam Length | 800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,303 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,303 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 111 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 14 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/24/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ID00216 |
| Federal ID | ID00216 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |