Keswick Dam is a concrete dam located in Shasta County, California, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 157 ft157 ft tall and 1,046 ft long, taller than 99% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against the Statue of Liberty, 305 ft ground to torch; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Keswick Dam
The primary purpose of Keswick Dam 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 Sacramento River near Redding.
The dam stands 157 feet tall and stretches 1,046 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 640 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 25,132 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6,032 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 02/07/2022.
At 157 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 | Shasta |
| Nearest City | Redding |
| River/Stream | Sacramento River |
| Coordinates | 40.61200, -122.44540 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 157 ft |
| Dam Height | 157 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,046 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 25,132 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 25,132 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7,470 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 640 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6,032 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 250,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Bureau of Reclamation |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 02/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10160 |
| Federal ID | CA10160 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |