B.f. Sisk Dike

About B.f. Sisk Dike

The primary purpose of B.f. Sisk Dike 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 Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the San Luis Creek near Los Banos.

The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12,770 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 2,063,510 acre-feet. Completed in 1967, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/16/2023.

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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