Warm Springs Dam
Warm Springs Dam is an earth dam located in Sonoma County, California, built in 1983. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Warm Springs Dam
The primary purpose of Warm Springs Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Usace - San Francisco District (federal). It impounds the Dry Creek near Healdsburg.
The dam stands 356 feet tall and stretches 3,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2,600 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 449,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 130 square miles. Completed in 1983, the structure is 43 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 09/27/2021.
At 356 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 | Sonoma |
| Nearest City | Healdsburg |
| River/Stream | Dry Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.71842, -123.00962 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 356 ft |
| Dam Height | 319 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1983 (43 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 449,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 449,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 245,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2,600 acres |
| Drainage Area | 130 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 29,600 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - San Francisco District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/27/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10303 |
| Federal ID | CA10303 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |