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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Seattle District
Mud Mountain Dam is a flood control dam protecting the lower White and Puyallup River valleys from flooding by holding back water from heavy rains and melting snow in its reservoir. Water managers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, slowly release water back into the river. Visitors to the facility, located on the White River near Mt. Rainier in Washington State, can view the dam, picnic, hike, bike or ride their horses in a scenic woodland setting.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam on the White River in the 1940s. The Corps also made channel improvements and built levees on the lower Puyallup River. Together, these structures have saved an estimated $308 million in flood damages. The project currently helps protect the homes and businesses of about 400,000 people. The dam regulates flooding by holding back water from heavy rains and melting snow in the reservoir, then releasing it slowly back into the river. The reservoir is usually empty, except for the normal flow of the White River. Completely filled, the reservoir would stretch 5.5 miles and cover 1,200 acres.
Congress authorized construction of Mud Mountain Dam with the Flood Control Act of June 22, 1936. Work began on August 25, 1939, but was halted by World War II. Construction resumed in 1947, and the dam was completed in 1948. At that time, it was the highest rock and earth-filled dam in the world. Fishway facilities in Buckley were finished in 1949, and the Rim Trail and picnic areas were added in 1980.
The core of the dam is a compacted blend of sand, gravel and glacial till. Upstream and downstream sides of the dam are crushed rock covered by large quarry rocks. The massive weight of the rock holds the core firmly in place. Two tunnels channel the river around and under the dam. A 9-foot-wide tunnel passes normal flows. A 23-foot-wide tunnel is used during periods of high flows and during floods.
View Volunteer Opportunities with the U.S. Army Corpy of Engineers in the state of Washington here.
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| Buckley High School student volunteers performing landscaping work at Mud Mountain Dam (Photo: USACE) |
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the dam on the White River in the 1940s. The Corps also made channel improvements and built levees on the lower Puyallup River. Together, these structures have saved an estimated $308 million in flood damages. The project currently helps protect the homes and businesses of about 400,000 people. The dam regulates flooding by holding back water from heavy rains and melting snow in the reservoir, then releasing it slowly back into the river. The reservoir is usually empty, except for the normal flow of the White River. Completely filled, the reservoir would stretch 5.5 miles and cover 1,200 acres.
Congress authorized construction of Mud Mountain Dam with the Flood Control Act of June 22, 1936. Work began on August 25, 1939, but was halted by World War II. Construction resumed in 1947, and the dam was completed in 1948. At that time, it was the highest rock and earth-filled dam in the world. Fishway facilities in Buckley were finished in 1949, and the Rim Trail and picnic areas were added in 1980.
The core of the dam is a compacted blend of sand, gravel and glacial till. Upstream and downstream sides of the dam are crushed rock covered by large quarry rocks. The massive weight of the rock holds the core firmly in place. Two tunnels channel the river around and under the dam. A 9-foot-wide tunnel passes normal flows. A 23-foot-wide tunnel is used during periods of high flows and during floods.
View Volunteer Opportunities with the U.S. Army Corpy of Engineers in the state of Washington here.
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