Wapato Lake Dam is a rockfill dam located in Chelan County, Washington, built in 1912. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 540 ft long, taller than 86% 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 rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Wapato Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Wapato Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lake Chelan Reclamation Dist (public utility). It impounds the Tr-lake Chelan near Manson.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 540 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 220 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 15 square miles. Completed in 1912, the structure is over a century 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 09/17/2023.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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 Washington 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 | Washington |
| County | Chelan |
| Nearest City | Manson |
| River/Stream | Tr-lake Chelan |
| Coordinates | 47.92457, -120.17814 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 540 ft |
| Year Completed | 1912 (114 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 220 acres |
| Drainage Area | 15 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 40 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lake Chelan Reclamation Dist |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/17/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WA00321 |
| Federal ID | WA00321 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |