Spring Creek Debris Dam
Spring Creek Debris Dam is an earth dam located in Shasta County, California, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Spring Creek Debris Dam
The primary purpose of Spring Creek Debris Dam is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Spring Creek.
The dam stands 196 feet tall and stretches 1,110 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 87 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,286 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 15 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 03/09/2020.
At 196 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 | None |
| River/Stream | Spring Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.62960, -122.47400 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 196 ft |
| Dam Height | 196 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,110 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,286 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,286 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5,874 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 87 acres |
| Drainage Area | 15 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,260 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 03/09/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | CA10190 |
| Federal ID | CA10190 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |