Folsom Dike 7
Folsom Dike 7 is an earth dam located in Sacramento County, California, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Folsom Dike 7
The primary purpose of Folsom Dike 7 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 Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the American River near Folsom.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 890 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11,180 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 976,955 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,570 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/15/2020.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | California |
| County | Sacramento |
| Nearest City | Folsom |
| River/Stream | American River |
| Coordinates | 38.69530, -121.14210 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 890 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 976,955 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 976,955 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11,180 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,570 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/15/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10148 |
| Federal ID | CA10148S007 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |