Imperial Diversion Dam

About Imperial Diversion Dam

The primary purpose of Imperial Diversion Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Colorado River near Yuma.

The dam stands 85 feet tall and stretches 3,475 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7,000 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 160,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5,756 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/26/2020.

At 85 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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.

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