Snoqualmie Falls is a gravity dam located in King County, Washington, built in 1898. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 19 ft19 ft tall and 253 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Snoqualmie Falls
The primary purpose of Snoqualmie Falls is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Puget Sound Energy (private). It impounds the Snoqualmie River near Fall City, Wa.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 253 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 102 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 566 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 400 square miles. Completed in 1898, the structure is over a century 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 05/11/2017.
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Location
| State | Washington |
| County | King |
| Nearest City | Fall City, Wa |
| River/Stream | Snoqualmie River |
| Coordinates | 47.54145, -121.83736 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 253 ft |
| Year Completed | 1898 (128 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 566 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 566 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 566 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 102 acres |
| Drainage Area | 400 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Puget Sound Energy |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/11/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WA00295 |
| Federal ID | WA00295 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |