Fresh Water Pond is an earth dam located in Kern County, California. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 18 ft18 ft tall and 1,000 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Fresh Water Pond
The primary purpose of Fresh Water Pond 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 Calmat (private).
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 46 acre-feet.
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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | Kern |
| Nearest City | Old River |
| Coordinates | 35.03722, -119.17583 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 46 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 46 acre-ft |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Calmat |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA01559 |
| Federal ID | CA01559 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |