Santa Felicia
Santa Felicia is an earth dam located in Ventura County, California, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Santa Felicia
The primary purpose of Santa Felicia 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 United Water Conservation District (local government). It impounds the Piru Creek near Piru.
The dam stands 213 feet tall and stretches 1,275 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,240 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 88,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 423 square miles. Completed in 1955, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/06/2025.
At 213 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Ventura |
| Nearest City | Piru |
| River/Stream | Piru Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.46150, -118.75120 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 213 ft |
| Dam Height | 213 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,275 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 88,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 88,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 87,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,240 acres |
| Drainage Area | 423 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 208,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | United Water Conservation District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/06/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00805 |
| Federal ID | CA00805 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |