Turlock Lake
Turlock Lake is an earth dam located in Stanislaus County, California, built in 1915. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Turlock Lake
Turlock Lake is a dam in Stanislaus, California. The dam is owned by Turlock Irrigation District (public utility). It impounds the Offstream near Waterford.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 196 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,260 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 63,406 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1915, 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 02/19/2025.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 California dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | California |
| County | Stanislaus |
| Nearest City | Waterford |
| River/Stream | Offstream |
| Coordinates | 37.61170, -120.59450 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 196 ft |
| Year Completed | 1915 (111 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 63,406 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 63,406 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3,260 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Turlock Irrigation District |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 02/19/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00279 |
| Federal ID | CA00279 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |