Camino is a concrete dam located in El Dorado County, California, built in 1961. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

Hazard potentialLowFailure would cause limited damage
ConditionSatisfactoryBest of 4 ratings
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection08/17/2023
Height133 ft
Built196165 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 133 ft
133 FT TEN-STORY BUILDINGMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

133 ft tall and 470 ft long, taller than 99% 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 concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.

About Camino

The primary purpose of Camino 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 Sacramento Municipal Utility District (public utility). It impounds the Silver Creek near Coloma.

The dam stands 133 feet tall and stretches 470 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 543 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 165 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 08/17/2023.

At 133 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

Location

StateCalifornia
CountyEl Dorado
Nearest CityColoma
River/StreamSilver Creek
Coordinates38.82830, -120.53670

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height133 ft
Dam Height133 ft
Dam Length470 ft
Year Completed1961 (65 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage543 acre-ft
Max Storage543 acre-ft
Normal Storage528 acre-ft
Surface Area20 acres
Drainage Area165 sq mi
Max Discharge64,000 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerSacramento Municipal Utility District
Owner TypePublic Utility
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection08/17/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDCA00817
Federal IDCA00817
More InfoState Dam Safety Program