Round Canyon Retarding Basin
Round Canyon Retarding Basin is an earth dam located in Orange County, California, built in 1994. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Round Canyon Retarding Basin
The primary purpose of Round Canyon Retarding Basin 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 Round Can Wash.
The dam stands 98 feet tall and stretches 750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 16 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 286 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1994, the structure is 32 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/09/2025.
At 98 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | California |
| County | Orange |
| River/Stream | Round Can Wash |
| Coordinates | 33.69980, -117.69960 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 98 ft |
| Dam Height | 98 ft |
| Dam Length | 750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1994 (32 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 286 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 286 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | County of Orange |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 09/09/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA01378 |
| Federal ID | CA01378 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |