Deschutes Dam is an earth dam located in Thurston County, Washington, built in 1951. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 45 ft45 ft tall, taller than 90% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Deschutes Dam
The primary purpose of Deschutes Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wa Des (state). It impounds the Deschutes River near Olympia.
The dam stands 45 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 270 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 185 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. The most recent inspection on record was 07/24/1998. That was over 28 years ago.
At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Washington |
| County | Thurston |
| Nearest City | Olympia |
| River/Stream | Deschutes River |
| Coordinates | 47.04354, -122.90912 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 45 ft |
| Year Completed | 1951 (75 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,700 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 270 acres |
| Drainage Area | 185 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Wa Des |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/24/1998 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WA00143 |
| Federal ID | WA00143 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |