Upper Franklin Dam is an earth dam located in Los Angeles County, California, built in 1915. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 260 ft long, taller than 86% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Upper Franklin Dam
The primary purpose of Upper Franklin 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 Doi NPS (federal).
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 260 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 155 acre-feet. Completed in 1915, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/01/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Los Angeles |
| Nearest City | Beverly Hills, Ca |
| Coordinates | 34.11939, -118.41085 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 260 ft |
| Year Completed | 1915 (111 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 155 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 155 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 40 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 192 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Doi NPS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/01/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00085 |
| Federal ID | CA00085 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |