Stony Gorge Dam

About Stony Gorge Dam

The primary purpose of Stony Gorge Dam 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 Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Stony Creek.

The dam stands 139 feet tall and stretches 868 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,280 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 58,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 301 square miles. Completed in 1928, 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 03/03/2021.

At 139 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.

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