Lower Blue Lake is an earth dam located in Alpine County, California, built in 1885. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 1,063 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 Lower Blue Lake
The primary purpose of Lower Blue Lake 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 Pacific Gas and Electric Company (private). It impounds the Blue Creek near Kirkwood.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 1,063 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 198 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,091 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1885, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 09/07/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Alpine |
| Nearest City | Kirkwood |
| River/Stream | Blue Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.60880, -119.92710 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,063 ft |
| Year Completed | 1885 (141 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,091 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,091 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5,090 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 198 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,150 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Pacific Gas and Electric Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 09/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00380 |
| Federal ID | CA00380 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |