Tallest Dams in Washington
Washington has 815 dams with recorded heights. The tallest is Mossyrock at 606 feet. Taller dams impound more water and carry greater potential energy, which is why height is a key factor in hazard classification and inspection requirements.
| # | Dam | County | Height (ft) | Type | Purpose | Hazard | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mossyrock | Lewis | 606 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1968 |
| 2 | Grand Coulee Dam | Okanogan | 550 | Concrete | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1941 |
| 3 | Ross | Whatcom | 540 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1949 |
| 4 | Mud Mountain Dam | King | 425 | Rockfill | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1948 |
| 5 | Swift No. 1 | Skamania | 412 | Earth | Hydroelectric | High | 1958 |
| 6 | Diablo | Whatcom | 389 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1929 |
| 7 | Boundary | Pend Oreille | 360 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1967 |
| 8 | Asamera Cannon Mine Tailings Dam | Chelan | 340 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1986 |
| 9 | Alder | Pierce | 330 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1945 |
| 10 | Yale | Cowlitz | 323 | Earth | Hydroelectric | High | 1953 |
| 11 | Tieton Dam | Yakima | 319 | Rockfill | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1925 |
| 12 | Merwin | Cowlitz | 313 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1931 |
| 13 | Gorge | Whatcom | 300 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1961 |
| 14 | Centralia Coal Mine Dam No 3d | Lewis | 285 | Earth | Tailings | Low | 1988 |
| 15 | Lower Baker | Skagit | 285 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1927 |
| 16 | Cushman No 2 | Mason | 275 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1930 |
| 17 | Cushman No 1 | Mason | 272 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1926 |
| 18 | Culmback | Snohomish | 262 | Rockfill | Hydroelectric | High | 1983 |
| 19 | Tapps Lake Dike No 14 | Pierce | 256 | Earth | Recreation | Low | 1911 |
| 20 | Mayfield | Lewis | 250 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1963 |
| 21 | Mount St. Helens Sediment Retention Structure | Cowlitz | 239 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1988 |
| 22 | Howard A. Hanson Dam | King | 235 | Rockfill | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1962 |
| 23 | Chief Joseph Dam | Douglas | 230 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1955 |
| 24 | Masonry Dam | King | 230 | Arch | Hydroelectric | High | 1914 |
| 25 | Little Goose Lock And Dam | Columbia | 226 | Concrete | Navigation | High | 1970 |
| 26 | Lower Monumental Lock And Dam | Franklin | 226 | Concrete | Navigation | High | 1969 |
| 27 | Long Lake | Stevens | 225 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1915 |
| 28 | La Grande | Thurston | 217 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | High | 1944 |
| 29 | Ice Harbor Lock And Dam | Walla Walla | 208 | Concrete | Navigation | High | 1962 |
| 30 | Wanapum | Kittitas | 206 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1965 |
| 31 | Coldwater Debris Dam | Cowlitz | 200 | Earth | Other | Undetermined | 1981 |
| 32 | O'sullivan Dam | Grant | 200 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1949 |
| 33 | Tolt River - South Fork | King | 200 | Earth | Water Supply | High | 1962 |
| 34 | Castle Lake Debris Dam | Cowlitz | 190 | Earth | Other | Undetermined | 1980 |
| 35 | Casad Dam | Kitsap | 190 | Arch | Water Supply | High | 1956 |
| 36 | Kinross Gold Kettle River Tailings Dam | Ferry | 189 | Other | Tailings | High | 1994 |
| 37 | Priest Rapids | Grant | 187 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1961 |
| 38 | Spirit Lake Outlet Tunnel | Skamania | 184 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | Undetermined | 1985 |
| 39 | Wynoochee | Grays Harbor | 175 | Gravity | Water Supply | High | 1972 |
| 40 | Wells | Chelan | 160 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1968 |
| 41 | Skookumchuck | Thurston | 160 | Earth | Hydroelectric | High | 1970 |
| 42 | North Dam | Grant | 145 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1951 |
| 43 | Cowlitz Falls | Lewis | 145 | Concrete | Hydroelectric | Significant | 1994 |
| 44 | Mill Creek Storage Dam | Walla Walla | 145 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1942 |
| 45 | Icon Materials Pond 4 | King | 140 | Earth | Water Supply | High | 1997 |
| 46 | Centralia Coal Mine Dam No 3b | Lewis | 140 | Earth | Tailings | Significant | 1980 |
| 47 | Centralia Coal Mine Dam No 3c North | Lewis | 134 | Earth | Tailings | Significant | 1987 |
| 48 | Rocky Reach | Chelan | 130 | Gravity | Hydroelectric | High | 1962 |
| 49 | Pinto Dam | Grant | 130 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1948 |
| 50 | Keechelus Dam | Kittitas | 128 | Earth | Flood Risk Reduction | High | 1917 |