Wapato Lake Dam

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 87% 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.

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