Upper Monarch Lake is a gravity dam located in Tulare County, California, built in 1905. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 263 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Upper Monarch Lake
The primary purpose of Upper Monarch Lake is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Southern California Edison (private). It impounds the Efk Kaweah R.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 263 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 314 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1905, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/10/2025.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Tulare |
| River/Stream | Efk Kaweah R |
| Coordinates | 36.45210, -118.56320 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 263 ft |
| Year Completed | 1905 (121 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 314 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 314 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Southern California Edison |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/10/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00439 |
| Federal ID | CA00439 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |