Villa Park is an earth dam located in Orange County, California, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 118 ft118 ft tall and 1,475 ft long, taller than 98% 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 embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Villa Park
The primary purpose of Villa Park is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by County of Orange (local government). It impounds the Santiago Creek near Orange, Santa Ana.
The dam stands 118 feet tall and stretches 1,475 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 480 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 15,600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 83 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 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 09/09/2025.
At 118 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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 | Orange |
| Nearest City | Orange, Santa Ana |
| River/Stream | Santiago Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.81630, -117.76380 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 118 ft |
| Dam Height | 118 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,475 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 15,600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 15,600 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 480 acres |
| Drainage Area | 83 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | County of Orange |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/09/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA00829 |
| Federal ID | CA00829 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |