Little Payette Lake Main
Little Payette Lake Main is an earth dam located in Valley County, Idaho, built in 1926. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Little Payette Lake Main
The primary purpose of Little Payette Lake Main 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 Little Payette Lake Lake Fork near Lake Fork.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,450 acres, has a storage capacity of 10,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 64 square miles. Completed in 1926, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 09/17/2020.
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 | Valley |
| Nearest City | Lake Fork |
| River/Stream | Little Payette Lake Lake Fork |
| Coordinates | 44.90355, -116.04151 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1926 (100 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10,300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,450 acres |
| Drainage Area | 64 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ID00243 |
| Federal ID | ID00243 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |