Lake Tahoe Dam
Lake Tahoe Dam is a buttress dam located in Placer County, California, built in 1913. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lake Tahoe Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Tahoe Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Truckee River near Truckee.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 109 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 120,000 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 732,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 506 square miles. Completed in 1913, the structure is over a century 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 08/09/2022.
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 | Placer |
| Nearest City | Truckee |
| River/Stream | Truckee River |
| Coordinates | 39.16710, -120.14400 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Buttress |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 109 ft |
| Year Completed | 1913 (113 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 732,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 732,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 732,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 120,000 acres |
| Drainage Area | 506 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 08/09/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10162 |
| Federal ID | CA10162 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |