Sawmill Spillway
Sawmill Spillway is a buttress dam located in Nevada County, California, built in 1910. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Sawmill Spillway
The primary purpose of Sawmill Spillway is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Nevada Irrigation District (public utility). It impounds the Canyon Creek near Sawmill Campground.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 270 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 113 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,030 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 18 square miles. Completed in 1910, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/23/2022.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Nevada |
| Nearest City | Sawmill Campground |
| River/Stream | Canyon Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.44440, -120.60310 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Buttress |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 270 ft |
| Year Completed | 1910 (116 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,030 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,030 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,030 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 113 acres |
| Drainage Area | 18 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 18,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Nevada Irrigation District |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/23/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00250 |
| Federal ID | CA00250S001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |