Meadow Lake is a rockfill dam located in Alpine County, California, built in 1903. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 74 ft74 ft tall and 775 ft long, taller than 97% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Meadow Lake
The primary purpose of Meadow 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 North Fork Mokelumne River-tr near Kirkwood.
The dam stands 74 feet tall and stretches 775 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 250 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,935 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1903, 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 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 08/20/2019.
At 74 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Alpine |
| Nearest City | Kirkwood |
| River/Stream | North Fork Mokelumne River-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.60012, -119.97648 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 74 ft |
| Dam Height | 74 ft |
| Dam Length | 775 ft |
| Year Completed | 1903 (123 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,660 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,935 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5,660 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 250 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 570 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Pacific Gas and Electric Company |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/20/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00381 |
| Federal ID | CA00381 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |