Youngs Lake Cascades Dam

Youngs Lake Cascades Dam is an earth dam located in King County, Washington, built in 1950. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Youngs Lake Cascades Dam

The primary purpose of Youngs Lake Cascades Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Seattle Public Utilities (local government). It impounds the Tr-cedar River.

The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 1,425 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 690 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 35,450 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/02/2024.

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Significant HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateWashington
CountyKing
River/StreamTr-cedar River
Coordinates47.41957, -122.10876

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height16 ft
Dam Length1,425 ft
Year Completed1950 (76 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage35,450 acre-ft
Max Storage35,450 acre-ft
Normal Storage33,760 acre-ft
Surface Area690 acres
Drainage Area2 sq mi

Ownership & Safety

PurposeWater Supply
OwnerSeattle Public Utilities
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection06/02/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDWA00209
Federal IDWA00209
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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