Blackburn

About Blackburn

The primary purpose of Blackburn 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 Tehachapi-cummings County Water District (public utility). It impounds the Blackburn Creek near Monolith And Tehachapi.

The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 4,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 625 acre-feet. Completed in 1991, the structure is 35 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 05/08/2025.

At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.

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.

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