Ice House Main
Ice House Main is a rockfill dam located in El Dorado County, California, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Ice House Main
The primary purpose of Ice House Main is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Sacramento Municipal Utility District (public utility). It impounds the South Fork Silver Creek near Coloma.
The dam stands 152 feet tall and stretches 1,440 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 678 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 43,496 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 27 square miles. Completed in 1959, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 08/29/2023.
At 152 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | El Dorado |
| Nearest City | Coloma |
| River/Stream | South Fork Silver Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.82370, -120.36110 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 152 ft |
| Dam Height | 148 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,440 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 43,496 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 43,496 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 34,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 678 acres |
| Drainage Area | 27 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 22,500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Sacramento Municipal Utility District |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/29/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00814 |
| Federal ID | CA00814 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |