Chollas
Chollas is an earth dam located in San Diego County, California, built in 1901. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Chollas
Chollas is a dam in San Diego, California. The dam is owned by City Of San Diego (local government). It impounds the Tr Chollas Creek near San Diego.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 565 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 167 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1901, the structure is over a century 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/23/2024.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.
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 | San Diego |
| Nearest City | San Diego |
| River/Stream | Tr Chollas Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.73800, -117.06490 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Length | 565 ft |
| Year Completed | 1901 (125 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 167 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 167 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | City of San Diego |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/23/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00107 |
| Federal ID | CA00107 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |