Rimrock Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rimrock Lake |
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Aerial view of Tieton Dam and Rimrock Lake from the downstream side of the dam.
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 Rimrock Lake
Location in Washington (state)
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| Location | Yakima County, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°39′23″N 121°07′46″W / 46.65639°N 121.12944°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Tieton River |
| Primary outflows | Tieton River |
| Catchment area | 187 mi² (484 km²) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 6 mi (9.7 km) |
| Max. width | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
| Water volume | 0.0586 cu mi (0.244 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 2926 ft (892 m) |
Rimrock Lake is a beautiful lake located in Yakima County, Washington state, in the US. It's actually a special kind of lake called a reservoir, which means it's a large, artificial lake used to store water.
This lake is an important part of the Tieton River. It helps store water for a big farming project called the Yakima Project. This project uses water to help crops grow in dry areas.
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What is Rimrock Lake?
Rimrock Lake is a man-made lake, also known as a reservoir. It was created by building a large wall, or dam, across the Tieton River. This dam holds back the river's water, forming the lake.
How Was Rimrock Lake Formed?
Rimrock Lake was created by the Tieton Dam. This dam is very tall, standing 319 feet (97 meters) high. It was built a long time ago, in 1925. The dam helps control how much water is stored in the lake and how much flows out. The lake can hold a huge amount of water, about 198,000 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep.
How Does the Yakima Project Use Rimrock Lake?
The Yakima Project is a large system that manages water for farming. The United States Bureau of Reclamation runs this project. Rimrock Lake acts like a giant bathtub, holding water until it's needed.
Water Flow and Irrigation
Water from the Tieton River first flows into Rimrock Lake. Upstream from Rimrock Lake, another dam called Clear Creek Dam also helps store water for the Yakima Project.
About 8 miles (13 km) downstream from Rimrock Lake, the Tieton River's water is directed into a channel called the Tieton Main Canal. This canal carries water to farms in the Tieton Division of the Yakima Project. Any extra water or water that runs off from the farms eventually flows into Ahtanum Creek, which is west of Yakima.
Communities Near Rimrock Lake
There are a couple of small communities located close to Rimrock Lake. These include the towns of Rimrock and Silver Beach. People who live in or visit these areas can enjoy the beauty of the lake and its surroundings.
